Kingdom Heartless
by Gold-Eyes-Sapphire-Dragon
Summary: Xemnas has defeated Sora. Five years ago, Roxas left Kingdom Hearts to find the "Second Keybearer." Now, five years later, Naomé Windom dreams of the "ultimate adventure." Little does she know her wish is about to come true in ways she never expected...
1. Introduction

_Once upon a time, a young boy named Sora was transported from his home in the Destiny Islands and into the universe called "Kingdom Hearts." Upon his arrival, he discovered himself to be the possessor of the "Keyblade," a powerful weapon that was created for the purpose of defending Kingdom Hearts from the forces of evil. Deemed the "Keybearer," Sora traveled with two of the King's most loyal subjects in a quest to Seal each World's "Keyhole," thereby preventing the invasion of the "'Heartless," beings who wished to use the powers of Darkness to corrupt the Worlds. He succeeded, and all the Worlds reformed and celebrated the fall of the Darkness._

_The peace brought about by Sora's valiancy was only temporary. One year later the Darkness returned, this time in the form of the "Nobodies," beings with the ability to wreak even greater havoc due to the fact that they preyed upon the Heartless and stole the hearts they consumed. Lead by Organization XIII, they sought to prey upon the hearts of all. Sora took up his Keyblade again and battled the Darkness, Sealing the Worlds once more and eradicating the Organization's members one by one. When Sora at last faced Xemnas, the High Lord of Organization XIII, he discovered Organization XIII was allied with the Infiltrators, masters of the Heartless. United against the Keybearer, Sora was defeated, leaving Kingdom Hearts without its champion._

_Two years thus far have passed since the night of Sora's defeat. And with each passing moment, more of his heroic efforts are undone. Who knows how much longer the World of Kingdom Hearts, and Kingdom Hearts itself, will last? To this day, there is only one question that resides on the mind of those pitiful few who have survived this horrific epidemic of Darkness: "Is there someone, anyone, out there that has the heart to rise up, take Sora's place, and restore Kingdom Hearts to its original glory?"_

_Read on and you shall see…_


	2. Prologue

Prologue

_Disney Castle - Battlements_

_Twilight Town is _so_ much more beautiful than this,_ Roxas Avalon thought bitterly, bright blue eyes searching Disney Village from beneath tousled medium-golden-brown-blonde hair. He had not been long away from his dusky-skied home, but he was already under the impression that he would find very few Worlds outside of his own that would ever be as beautiful. He blinked at a sudden cool breeze, causing him to instinctively draw his black hooded robes closer to his lanky frame. _If only I could go back home…_

"Kinda chilly night out tonight, eh, Rox?" The voice, calm yet dark in undertones, came floating from behind Roxas, waking him from his silent meditation on the ramparts of Disney Castle. "I've been looking for you, Roxas. Why didn't you let me know where you were, buddy?"

Roxas sighed, allowing his lungs to exhale fully. When he spoke, he put a slight edge to his voice to express his current frustrations. "I didn't want people to come looking for me, Axel. You should know that!" He felt his depressed demeanor ripple into anger. "Besides, where've _you _been?"

Axel Balthazar was Roxas's best friend, a fellow member of Organization XIII, the fraternity of black-robed rebels that'd attempted multiple times over the years to take control of Kingdom Hearts. Cool in personality yet fiery in both hair and temper, Roxas was Axel's only real companion, mainly because Axel's "flame"boyant nature hadn't driven him away like it'd done with the rest of the Organization. Most of the other members said that it was because they feared being fried, and they were well within good reason to do so: Axel was renowned for combining the blazing effects of Fire magic with his dual chakram rings, and this lead for a very devastating combination and even more devastating warrior. It was even rumored that Xemnas, the High Lord of the Organization, feared Axel's firepower because he believed it to be as great as his own, if not even greater.

But tonight, the Axel that was standing behind his friend was altogether different. Instead of coolly calm, he was anxious and high-strung, crystal emerald green eyes lacking their fire-brilliant sparkle. His features, normally of a laid-back caliber, were taught with tension like a rubber band being stretched to its limit. He looked as though he'd seen a ghost.

Puzzled as to why there wasn't any smart-aleck remark from Axel, Roxas drew his attention away from Disney Village and to his dumbfounded, tongue-tied friend. "Ax, what is it? You look as though you've just woken up from a horribly bad dream! I don't think I've _ever_ seen your skin that pale before! Yeah, it's pale to begin with, but air would have more color than you! What's up?"

Axel swallowed a number of times, each time attempting to spit out the reason for his seeking Roxas, but each time to no avail. When he finally got it right, his voice was in a husky whisper. "Roxas…the Organization…they…you…" His voice trailed off, his mind unable to comprehend anymore.

Grimacing fiercely, Roxas realized what was happening. He'd seen this happen only once or twice before, but he knew exactly what was going on. Axel was in a state of terrorized shock. This usually happened when he became startled or learned something amazing, and there was only one possible way to cure it. With an almost regretful expression crossing his strong features, Roxas pounded his tightly clenched fist slapbang into Axel's midsection, sending him crumpling to the ground in a flaccid heap.

The force of the blow immediately restored Axel's senses to him, waking him from the frozen netherworld inside of his mind. He blinked as he cleared his mind, green eyes flicking upwards to meet Roxas's , which were a brilliant crystal blue that had an eerie glitter to them. He gave his best friend a shaky smile as he gasped out a breathless joke. "Hehehe…that was a good one, Rox…I felt that one this time…"

Roxas was standing over his downed companion, worry crossing his usually calm features. He blurted out his query in a rush. "Ax, are you all right? I didn't mean to hit you that hard, mate! I'm sorry!" He grabbed both of Axel's hands and helped him up. "Really, Ax, I didn't mean to wallop you one in the gut like that! Gods! I didn't-"

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Rox…a friend can forgive a friend," Axel said soothingly, patting his hands in the air. "Besides, I was acting a bit like a doofus a few moments ago. Don't fret about it; I've been hit a lot worse than a little kiddie punch to the gut. And from what I can tell you didn't damage anything vital. As far as I know everything in there's still working at a hundred-and-ten-percent." He grinned lopsidedly, as he did when he was proud of Roxas.

_Phew…Axel's all right, all right…_ Roxas thought, allowing a smile of relief to flood his face. But then he remembered what Axel had been trying to say to him before he'd suffered his "panic attack," and it brought tension back to his features. "Axel, what was it that you were going to tell me before I socked you? You said it had something to do with the-"

"Hey, now!" Axel immediately bolted forward, slamming his hands over his mouth to stifle him. "Shurrup, Roxas! C'mon, we'll talk about it back at my place! Let's go!"

_Disney Castle – Axel's Chambers_

Axel's "place" was one of the staterooms in Disney Castle, and as such was one of the few rooms that possessed an actual lock and key on the doors. Axel was the only one that had the key, and he often allowed Roxas to "hold onto it" for him when he'd be away doing something or another for the Organization. Unlike Roxas, Axel was a full-fledged member of Organization XIII, and this often called from him to leave Disney Castle and embark on a "short" journey every now and then.

Although he'd never admit it aloud, Roxas always enjoyed the "break" from living in the manservant's quarters with the other novices, as his room was nothing more than a homely little hole in the wall. However, this made him the envy of his "lower level" comrades, as they were all considered as nothing more than servants to the "true" members, and even worse, expendable assets towards "the greater good."

"Have a seat, Rox," Axel said warmly, motioning to the various pieces of furniture about the room. "As usual, make yourself at home. Can I get you anything?" Unlike the other "elder" members, Axel was kind to the novices, a rarity that was highly treasured by the usually starved, beaten and otherwise ignored learners. He himself had never forgotten his days as a novice, and it was these memories that drove him towards the relationship with the beleaguered Roxas and other novices of the Organization.

"Er…maybe something to drink." Roxas was always reminded of the training he'd received in the earliest days of his membership with the Organization: _what's yours is your superior's, and what's your superior's is not yours_. For Axel to offer him anything at all was a gross violation of this rule, but then again Axel was not a strict follower of rules. Only the rules of loyalty and friendship were his, protection and camaraderie his only true purpose. There had been few that'd attempted to harm Roxas, and fewer still existed, as Axel had disposed of them as easily as one disposes himself of a cockroach.

Moments later, Roxas and Axel were seated across from each other at a polished dark hardwood table, each with a drink in hand. Axel's eyes gazed into his glass as he swirled his drink around inside, as if pondering something of a very serious nature. Roxas was about to ask him what was on his mind when his friend finally looked up and began his narrative.

"Earlier this evening, I heard Xemnas and Xanatos talking about what they'd originally planned after they'd captured Sora. A couple years ago, when the Organization wished to dispose themselves of the One that Stood in Their Way, they realized early on that Sora was nobody's fool. He was obviously wise to the antics of the Infiltrators and their army of Heartless soldiers. To try and dupe him would require a great amount of work, not to mention a lot of duping on their part.

"When they learned of Sora's righteous and just heart, the Organization knew that they'd finally discovered his weakness. As ruthless and powerful a warrior he was, his heart couldn't stand to allow an injustice to be committed. If there was a way he could save someone from such a cruel fate, he'd find it." Axel paused and looked Roxas dead in the eyes. "This is where you come in, Rox."

Roxas felt his breath catch. _Where I "come in?" What is Axel talking about?_

Axel took a deep breath and continued. "Now, as I said before, the Organization was desperate to rid themselves of the threat that Sora posed to their ambitions. So, to best him, the decided to pose a little…_injustice_ to draw him in, knowing full well that he'd come to put an end to it. His heart wouldn't permit him to do otherwise.

"But, what could they do? There were many ways to forge an injustice being committed, but each one seemed more flimsy and transparent than the last. Finally, they settled upon what is considered amongst the Nobodies to be the strongest injustice of all: mistaken identity. They'd spread a rumor throughout Kingdom Hearts about how they'd captured the Keybearer and were planning to hand him over to King Mickey based on the charge of high treason. Their plan worked perfectly: Sora came to save the 'false' Keybearer, knowing that a full-blown injustice was being committed right before his eyes. What they _didn't_ expect was for him to defeat them single-handedly, as well as take the 'decoy' with him, preventing the Organization from trying the trick again.

"Despite their initial failure, the Organization did try again, this time ensnaring _your_ heart in their web of deceit and lies, Roxas. They did this by using your best friend as the bait, well aware that your heart was just like Sora's…unable to let well enough alone and allow your friend to get hurt. This time, their plan did not fail: you came running to your friend's aid, and Sora came right alongside you, both of you falling directly into the Organization's trap. Sora was overwhelmed and captured, your friend disposed of, and you all but forgotten as they imprisoned you within their sights as a novice, a sure way to prevent anyone from ever knowing the truth about what happened."

The realization of the revelation struck Roxas with the force of a heavy blow to the middle. When he'd first gone to the Organization, he'd been seeking a place to make something of himself beside what everybody else normally did. Although the elders had welcomed him, the only home they'd given him was a berth in the dungeons of Castle Oblivion…all a part of their plan to destroy Sora and take over Kingdom Hearts. He hung his head in grief and shame, chin sitting on his chest. _They called me "Sora"…it was part of their plan to rid themselves of him…they used me…they killed Naminé…to get him…all of that just to get him…_

Axel watched as Roxas became extremely depressed, blue eyes filling with sadness, countenance clouding over, sorrow creeping into every fiber of his being. _Wow…it must feel awful, learning that you were used to help along someone else's dark dreams. Poor Roxas…_

_BANG!_

The sound of Roxas's tightly clenched fists slamming into the table was so loud that it made Axel jump. A second shock nearly sent him crashing to the floor as he came face-to-face with as side of Roxas Avalon that he'd never seen, let alone had never given thought to the possibility of it existing. The sight of the bright blue eyes was now unclouded, clear as crystal and burning with the fires of unquenchable vengeance. His face was taught with anger, the color rushing to his face in a blast of searing heat that was almost overpowering in strength, his whole body rigid with fury that would blaze one moment and then freeze the blood in his veins the next. When Roxas spoke, his voice was husky, barely audible from behind his teeth grinding together like a glacier scraping against stone.

"…I had no idea…" He whispered, nails digging into the tabletop. "They were…they were _using_ me…as _bait_…"

"Yeah, Rox, they were," Axel agreed, nodding slowly. "They used you to get Sora. Kinda sucks, doesn't it?"

But Roxas was oblivious to Axel's presence. He buried his head in his hands, letting his forehead hit the table with a dull _thunk._ He ran his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair, trying to calm himself. He spoke aloud, as though he were alone. "Darn it…Sora was my friend…he was my friend and I betrayed him…curse it all…you don't do things like that to your friends…especially not ones like him…Naminé…I betrayed you _and_ Sora…what've I done…?"

Axel sighed heavily, his whole lanky frame slack with regret. "I'm sorry, Roxas. I know what I've said upset you. I feel bad for you, but I knew that this was something that you'd want to know about. It makes me feel like crap, especially since I remember you telling me about how nice Sora was to you, but I also knew you'd be angrier if I _didn't_ tell you." It was _his_ turn to pound the tabletop and let loose with a small outburst; the beginnings of what usually escalated to his "fiery" temper tantrums. "Darn it! Why did those insects have to do that to my pal Roxas? It really sets my blood boiling!"

Roxas's eyes drifted up from their formerly glued position on the tabletop, sorrow and anger once more clouding his vision. His voice was what was clear now, although it was cracked from the power of his emotions. "Don't blame yourself, Ax…it's not your fault the higher-ups were hung-up on hanging Sora. It's not your fault that they're messed up. Thanks for the drink, Axel." He stood to take his leave, his hands pulling the hood of his ash gray robes over his head.

Axel set his glass down in a hurry. "Hey, Rox, where you going?"

With a heavy sigh of his own, he addressed Axel from over his shoulder. "I'm going for a walk. I need to clear my head." Then, without another word, he walked out, leaving Axel alone in the elegant stateroom.

Axel grunted gutturally. "Hmph. That's a load of malarkey, Rox. I know you're going to try and find Sora. You're nuts, but maybe not as much as I want to think you are." He dropped back into his seat, taking leisurely sips at his drink. Disney Castle wasn't _that_ big; he could find Roxas in a while. Besides, the drink was good.

_Disney Castle - Colonnade_

By now Disney Castle had fallen silent, as all of its black-robed residents had gone to sleep…all that is, except for Roxas Avalon. The young novice of Organization XIII was unable to sleep, his talk with Axel circling round and round in his head. He'd thought of the walk to try and make him drowsy, but also to digest what he'd just been given.

Roxas's booted feet made hardly any noise as he walked the long corridors of the darkened castle, moonlight streaming through the giant bay windows and cutting into the darkness like brilliant swords. Despite their graceful beauty, however, they did little to lift the darkness that resided in Roxas's heart, instead only darkening his already shadowy existence.

Suddenly, Roxas thought that he sensed someone next to him. He looked up, only to discover that it was his shadow on the wall. He felt his spirits dip even further into the darkness. _Sora…you rescued me from a place wrought with danger and fear, became my friend…and in the end I unknowingly betrayed you. If you were alive right now, how could you forgive me for the injustice I did to you? And Naminé, how could you continue to love me? After all, I betrayed you, too…_

Padding along noiselessly, Roxas drifted from place to place, seeking something that would put and end to his feelings, something that could help him put some purpose in his bleak life. Surely he could find a way to make everything in his dreary existence come together and make sense!

It was at the turn of the next hallway that Roxas discovered a crossroads of sorts, one path leading to the library, the other towards the grandiose audience chamber of Disney Castle. A strange feeling overcame him as he took the path towards the chamber, his eyes never leaving the audience chamber's gigantic doors. Something was waiting for him beyond those doors, he could feel it! Was it Axel? Or maybe…just maybe…it was Sora…

Roxas came to a halt before the massive carved doors, sight roving over the crest of the king: a large circle with two smaller circles sitting on top of it like giant ears. Lavender in color, these doors were obviously meant to stand out against the marble white of the walkways. But, cut into the left door was another, smaller door, one that was meant for creatures more of Roxas's stature to fit through without having to strain to open the great entrance.

_I wonder why I came here?_ Roxas wondered as he opened the small door and stepped inside the audience chamber. He marveled in awe at the sight as he heard the door _click_ shut behind him.

The audience chamber was much different than the other rooms in the castle. High, vaulted ceilings were held up in place by twenty Roman columns made of arctic marble, each as wide as a tree. A plush red velvet carpet runner trimmed with gold lace extended down the middle of the antechamber, appearing to end at a royal blue podium with a gilded throne atop it. Two giant statues, a wizard and a knight, guarded the left and right of a massive mural behind the podium, emblazoned with the King's Crest and the symbol of an onyx crown. Lit only by the skylight above, the room was thrown into a hugely contrasting mixture of light and shadows, the combination giving the chamber a haunted, eerie feel.

Roxas felt himself shudder instinctively at the chilly air in the room. There was no doubt in his mind where the Shadows of the Heartless resided! He steeled his nerves and strode silently yet boldly along the plush runway, eyes fixating on the throne ahead. _There's something about that throne…_

At last, the depressed, disillusioned Roxas Avalon came before the empty throne. He quickly glanced about to see make sure no one was watching him, then bowed humbly to the gilded seat of the king, dropping to his knees as a sudden pang of guilt entering his lonely heart as he recalled the benevolent King Mickey and Queen Minnie Mouse. _The King and Queen had been so trusting of me…I ended up betraying them, too…I betrayed all who had been kind to me, loved me…I was undeserving of the kindness I received…I still am…_

Suddenly, Roxas's sharp eyes spotted a crack in what was the left-hand side of the throne. Puzzled, he walked behind the seat and tried to replace the loose molding…a throne shouldn't be falling apart…

…_Click…_

A whirring noise came from beneath the podium. Startled, Roxas leapt away like a terrified rabbit, eyes widening in surprise as the podium moved aside, revealing a hidden chamber beneath. A wide set of stairs with the same red-and-gold runner going down the middle lead into the inky blackness below. A blast of freezing, arctic-like air rushed into the audience chamber, forcing Roxas to step back, the smell of musty, old air making his nostrils twitch in shock. The eerie feeling he'd felt outside of the chamber now came surging back into his body with chilling clarity, making every hair on his body stand on end. Summoning his courage, he stepped down into the darkened passage, footsteps echoing dully in the vast cavern.

As he descended, Roxas's gaze constantly shifted in the gloom, well aware for any signs of an imminent threat. He'd learned from his days with Sora about how to keep his guard up, especially in dark places. Shadows, Dusks, and all manner of Heartless and Nobodies loved nothing more than hiding in the dark, always willing to pounce on an unwary victim. Tonight was no different.

Upon his leaving the final step, Roxas found himself in another smaller yet just as grand hall, this one layered thick with dust. One of the four pillars was embedded with what appeared to be shards of frosty green glass, and some of the pieces were sticking out in spike-like points. This room was almost completely dark, except for a few small torches that were anchored to the walls, casting spine-chilling shadows everywhere. The walls were covered with a teeming mass of thick, tangled dark green vines that were covered in thorns as wide and as long as Roxas's hand, each one like a small knife. These vines spilled out onto the floor, forming a spiky trap. Roxas was about to leave when he thought he noticed something hidden among the jumbled mess of plant life caught his attention. Gritting his teeth, he threw himself headlong into the vines and began to dig, any part of his body not shielded by his robes cut to ribbons in no time at all.

Suddenly, Roxas managed to snap a young vine, sending him crashing through the tangle and down another dark passageway. He wriggled and twisted like a snake to avoid as many of the spiked plants as possible, occasionally catching his robes on one and snagging himself on others. The thorns poked through his hood into his scalp, scratching his head and yanking his hood back to expose his face. Snarling, cursing and sweating, Roxas plowed his way through the maze of vines until he extricated himself from the grasp of the trap. He tumbled forward and out into the middle of the chamber, where his head bashed against a solid marble pedestal, momentarily stunning him.

"Darn that Maleficent…those vines must've been her doing…of all the times to need the Keyblade around and not have it…curse it…" Roxas swore, sitting up onto his knees and rubbing his sore head with both hands. "Blasted sons of…" He stopped, discovering himself in the wake of a familiar shadow…a _very familiar_ shadow…

Gasping in shock, Roxas shifted his gaze up to the pedestal in front of him, the one that he'd walloped his head on moments before. He felt his blood run cold, his complexion paling as pale as Axel's had been when he'd told him the truth of his role in the plot to destroy the Master of the Keyblade. What was even more shocking was that he was _right in front of_ the fallen hero, true to life. He tried desperately to speak, only to have his voice come out in a cracked, hoarse whisper. "Sora! Oh, gods!"

Sora, the Keybearer and Guardian of Kingdom Hearts, was imprisoned in a crystal tomb, deeply set in an enchanted sleep. He was buried alive within the giant gemstone, mysteriously still breathing, as though his cage was made of air. Occasionally, his eyelids flickered as he wrestled with some strange dream, but he was otherwise immobilized.

The sight of the "petrified" Sora awoke and uncovered many memories that'd been buried deep within Roxas's heart, memories of the time before he was a novice of Organization XIII, when he was nothing more than a mere boy struggling to find his place in the vast universe of Kingdom Hearts. The multitude of multi-faceted dreams that'd haunted his mind for so long seemed to become reality in the gloomy chamber, each more brilliant than the last. And in each one there was Sora, the Keyblade casually swung over one shoulder, a confident, boyish smile alighting on his calm, strong features. Sora was every inch the warrior, clad in his outfit of black, blue, red and gold, always ready with a smile and yet ever on the lookout for danger. Yes, Sora was indeed the Hero of the Keyblade, Champion of Kingdom Hearts, and defender of the King.

Awed, Roxas stood and walked over to the crystal, eyes wide in terror and glazed over with unshed tears for his long-lost friend. He placed his hands, clammy with sweat, on the rippled surface of the icy stone, frosting over where the chill of the rock met his heated hands. "Oh, gods, Sora… look at what those monsters did to you! I didn't have any idea this what happened to you, my friend," He lamented, striking a fist against the crystalline prison. "I'm so sorry, Sora… we were both pawns in a game to destroy you. You're still my friend… it's just that I don't know how to be a friend in return and free you…"

A sudden noise interrupted Roxas's grieving. He spun around to see Axel standing in front of the thorny passage, his entire form covered with scratches. He gave Roxas the lopsided grin again. "Boy, Rox, I'm jealous of you now! You're so skinny, you could probably wriggle your way around them, you sneaky little devil, you!"

Grinning, Roxas chuckled at his friend's disheveled appearance. He was feeling well enough to make a light joke. "Geez, Ax, I have no idea why you're complaining so much. I thought you'd be used to spikes and thorns by now, considering your hair looks like that! And besides, you're skinnier than I am!"

Axel groaned. "Ho boy, Rox. That was a good one." But then, before he was about to reply with a joke of his own, his sights caught sight of Sora. He did a double take, green eyes widening in a complete take of shock. "Whoa! Is that Sora? I thought that the Organization got rid of him!"

"No, Axel," Roxas replied. "They crystallized him like an ice sculpture."

"_Dude!_ Bummer!" Axel whistled. "That mustn't be very comfy! I'd hate to be him!"

Roxas frowned. "He's been stuck like that for two years, dang blast it! I want to help him, but I don't know how! The only way I can think of is the Keyblade, and that's locked up in that wall vault! If only I had the combination, I'd be able to get the Keyblade out and help Sora escape!"

Axel shook his head and clucked his tongue in reprimand. "Roxas, you dummy! You're forgetting something: _I've_ got the combination! I'm an Organization member, remember?" He gave Roxas a brilliant smile that seemed to brighten the entire room. "I can get it out!"

"Oh, yeah!" Roxas laughed. "I _did_ forget!" Suddenly, something went off like a firecracker in his mind. Either Axel was higher in rank than Roxas thought, or else he…nah, he couldn't have! "Wait a minute…only _elders_ have the combo…how'd _you_ get a hold of it, Axel?

"Roxas, Roxas, Roxas," Axel said, shaking his head again. "How do you _think_ I got a hold of it? Don't you remember when I beat Xephyrus up because he was picking on you? Well, after I'd pummeled him to a pulp, I forced him to give me the combination to the vault. I wanted it, since Xemnas had given me permission to get something out of there for you, but nobody would give it to me. Nobody trusted me!"

"Well, desperate times call for desperate measures," Roxas replied with a grin. "So, Axel, do you think you could be nice enough to get Sora's Keyblade out of there? I don't want it to stay in there any longer." He glanced meaningfully at Sora. "Besides, I have an idea that might be able to get Sora out of there. It might take me a while, but I have a feeling that it's gonna work eventually."

Axel walked over to the safe and fiddled with the combination lock, muttering to himself as he went. "Lemme see…was fifteen this way, or thirty-eight? Wait a minute, Ax, you're getting ahead of yourself…Okay! Sixteen this way, thirty-eight that way…so far, so good…seventy-five that way, and fifty-four that way…"

_CLICK!_

"Yes!"

Roxas could barely contain his excitement as he ran over to see Axel open the heavy steel door of the vault. He gasped in awe at the sight of everything stored within. "Look at all this," He whispered. "Potions, Ethers, Moogle Synthesis ingredients, Sora's Drive Orbs, a box with various key chains in it…and…" He swallowed in wonder. "…the Keyblade!"

Axel stared solemnly at the wondrous Keyblade, weapon of the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts. It looked like…well…a _key_, mainly wrought of silvery steel and crowned with a hilt of pure gold. On the bottom of the hilt a single key chain formed in the likeness of the King's Crest hung by a silver chain. He'd only heard about how the weapon had looked, but to now look upon it was a miracle in itself. He silently thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't have to see it while it was in Sora's hands. It probably would've been the last thing that he'd ever see in his life.

Reverently, Roxas withdrew the Keyblade from its holding pins inside the vault, allowing his hands to feel the heft of the weapon. He turned to face Sora, holding the Keyblade in his hands, as though offering it to Sora to use. "Here it is, Sora. You don't have to worry about your Keyblade getting into the wrong hands anymore…I've got it now. I'm gonna take care of it for you until I can figure out how to get you out of there. It might take me a while before I can find somebody strong enough to wield the Keyblade even close to as well as you did, but I'll bring it back. I promise…my friend…"

Axel fiddled within the vault. "Rox, if you're leaving, I want you to take a couple of things with you…things that I think Sora might want you to have." He turned around, holding out a golden rod with two key chains clipped to the ends of it, along with a gleaming fire-red orb that burned with a fiery glow. "I learned that this weapon is called the KeyStaff, and it was supposed to be Sora's next weapon. It's said that you can use two Keyblades at once and not need to use both hands to fight with them. Also, this is the Drive Orb to Sora's first Form, the Valor Form. This was the Form he'd used when he battled Xemnas the first time around. I thought you might be able to use it, Rox." He chuckled. "I really hate to see you leave like this, Roxas Avalon. You've been the greatest friend that anybody could ever ask for. However, if you feel that you have to go, than don't worry about anything back here. Just do what you feel is right and go."

Roxas reached out and took the KeyStaff in his right hand. He grasped it tightly, rotating it round and round to test its weight. Suddenly, before he even knew what was happening, he felt power surge through his body, and saw the KeyStaff vanish in a flash of brilliant white light, forcing him to squint his eyes shut. The light was so bright that it shone right through his eyelids, as though he'd never closed his eyes at all. Then, before he thought he could no longer endure it, the light faded, his eyes finally seeing the darkness from closing them. Blinking, he opened his aching blue eyes and glanced over at the KeyStaff. He nearly dropped it when he saw it.

The KeyStaff had changed form! The two key chains, one white, the other black, had turned into their proper forms when they'd normally be attached to Sora's Keyblade. One was a brilliant silvery white, with a snowflake-like key head, the hilt of it formed into a pair of white angel's wings, while the other was jet black with a black crown key head and a hilt formed into the shape of two spread black dragon's wings. Both were now attached to the solid golden hilt of the KeyStaff, allowing Roxas three ways to grip it. He gasped in shock at the two weapons, and spoke their names aloud. "Oathkeeper and Oblivion! These were two of Sora's most powerful Keyblade forms! Why are you giving them to me, Axel?"

"Because I knew that once I told you the truth, you'd want to free Sora like he'd done for you. Unfortunately, Rox, only he can wield the Keyblade, so I gave you the next best thing. You see, the Organization believed that you were going to use the KeyStaff as your primary weapon to aid them in corrupting Kingdom Hearts, but I knew better than that. That's why, as much as I hate to do it, I'm letting you go, Rox. Sora needs to come back. The Organization's gone too far, and the Infiltrators haven't been much help. If things keep going the way they are, there isn't going to _be_ a Kingdom Hearts to come back to. Go on, Roxas Avalon. Go bring Kingdom Hearts back to the way it used to be."

Shouldering the KeyStaff, Roxas began walking away. Suddenly, he turned back to face Axel. "Thanks, Axel…please keep an eye on Sora for me…oh, and I know this is going to sound silly, but…could you please look for Naminé? I have a feeling she's still alive out there…somewhere…"

Axel nodded. "Sure thing, Rox. Now, go!"

Roxas ran away from Disney Castle, KeyStaff clenched in his hands. As he vanished into the darkness, he allowed only one feeling to well up within him, and he further allowed it to consume him…

_Revenge!_


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Legend of the Second Keybearer

_Three Years Later_

_Hollow Bastion - Ansem's Castle - Library_

The young man sat in one of the old, dusty armchairs, his booted feet kicked up on a heavily varnished table inlaid with various darker and lighter wood tones. He held an ancient tome in his hands, its yellowed pages being turned carefully by his strong but nimble fingers as his eyes of an eerie crystal blue color scanned their surfaces. They slowly divulged to him all the information that had been contained within their bindings for so many years.

With a final sigh of despair that was tinged with a snort of irritation, the reader closed the leather cover and tossed the book on another nearby armchair with perhaps a dozen others. He grunted in annoyance as he grabbed the next book in his personally complied reading list, this one that was at least as twice as thick as the one he'd just finished, resituated himself in his seat, and then opened the text. He barely got past the first ten pages before he realized that this book didn't have what he wanted, and so he tossed it like the one before and went on to the next one.

A third book, this one with a deep plum-stained leather cover, was the next to undergo his examination. He cracked it open like he had so many other books in the past year or so, and began to flip through its contents. This book obviously showed more promise, and so he made himself even more comfortable as he proceeded to flip through the chapters before delving in any deeper. He was so enthralled with his new discovery that he didn't even notice the shadow that was approaching him from behind the voluminous velvet curtains across the way.

"Catching up on your reading, are you, Rox?"

Glancing up, Roxas Launcelot Avalon noticed that the mysterious shadow that had been watching him for the better part of a day had finally revealed itself to him. They had casually draped themselves over another one of the elderly armchairs, with one long, lanky leg hanging casually over one of the arms, the other stretched out on the table. His visitor flashed him an almost shy smile as he brushed some of his spiky, flaming orange-red hair out of his sparkling emerald eyes that reflected with great power off their dark ebony black leather robes embellished with silver accents.

Roxas put his book down in his lap, his expression blank with surprise. "Axel…?"

Axel Balthazar chuckled. "You were expecting the Fairy Godmother?"

The look on Roxas's face was frigid. "Not funny, Ax. Sora knew her personally."

"Oh. Oops…"

"Never mind," Roxas replied. He marked the book with a piece of paper he had used for a bookmark, shut the cover, and set it onto the table top. He dropped his feet back onto the floor and leaned in. "So, Axel, what brings you here?"

"I'm checking up on you, seeing how you're doing," Axel replied. "I haven't heard much about you since we last saw each other a couple years ago, so I thought I'd go looking for you." He flashed Roxas his old quirky grin. "I've been searching everywhere in Kingdom Hearts, pal! If there's one thing you're good at doing, it's hiding from somebody! You don't want to be found when you don't want to!"

"I learned that from you and Sora," Roxas said with a smile. "Obviously I've learned it really well, because I was able to stump at least one of my teachers!"

"Well, you'd better keep doing as well as you've been doing , because I was also trying to find you to give you a warning…Xemnas is looking for you."

Roxas grunted. "Good thing I ditched my robes back in Twilight Town."

"What'd you do with them?"

"I don't remember. I think I might've buried them somewhere. Don't ask me where, though, because I don't remember that, either. I wanted to put _that_ piece of my past behind me."

Axel's expression became sad. "You didn't forget Naminé though, did you?"

Roxas's eyes blazed hatred. "No, I didn't." He snarled with bitter rage. "And I sure as _heck_ didn't forget that Xemnas was the one that killed her! I'll get him back for that, you'll see! Sooner or later, that monster will be _mine!_"

"I figured you'd say as much," Axel said. "I don't blame you, either…I would, were I in your place. After all, I'd want someone that'd hurt my family to pay for what they'd done." He gave Roxas a confused look. "Uh, excuse me for saying this, but didn't you once tell me that you treated _Sora_ like he was a part of your family, too?"

"I did," Roxas replied crisply. "What of it? Should I not feel that way? He did everything he could and more to help Naminé and I! To me, what Sora had done had made him like family to me. Naminé felt the same way, too!"

Axel put up his hands with the palms facing towards Roxas in askance of his friend and Master of the KeyStaff to be merciful towards him. "Now, now, Rox, don't get your underwear in a twist, pal! I was just bringing it up because of what I said about Xemnas. He's right fired up that you just up and disappeared the way you did."

It was Roxas's turn to give the confused expression. "Uh, Ax? You helped me out there, remember? You were the one that gave me the KeyStaff and the Oathkeeper and Oblivion keychains to use."

"I know. Did you use Sora's Valor Drive Form yet?"

"I tried, but I can't. It won't work for me. I guess it was meant only for Sora."

Axel shrugged. "Rats…ah, well. Nothing bad to be said for trying."

This brought a grunt of agreement from Roxas Avalon.

"So, did you figure out how you might be able to go about getting the poor guy out of that rock and back to saving Kingdom Hearts?"

"No," Roxas replied. "I've read a lot of stuff about things that _might_ work, but ninety-nine percent of them would never work."

"There's still a one percent chance in there, Rox. What's that for?"

Roxas shrugged. "For whatever it is that I haven't found yet." He waved a hand in the general direction of his environment. "I've looked through piles of the books in here, and not _once_ have I found something that seems to have the best chance to succeed. I'm not giving up on Sora, but the odds are getting pretty darned slim."

Axel nodded. "Yeah, I know. I've been looking up stuff, too."

"You have?"

"M-hm."

"Did you find anything?"

It was Axel's turn to shrug this time. "I'm not sure. I found out a lot of interesting stuff, though." The Organization XIII member gave his best friend a wide smile as he went into reciting one of the facts he'd learned. "Did you know that there's actually creatures called-"

"Put it a sock in it, Ax." Roxas growled. "I don't have time to play games. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to learn about all the stuff you've found, but if it won't help Sora, then I don't want to hear it. Now, you said that you thought you might've found something that could help Sora out. What was it?"

"All right, all right. I'm sorry. Geez, this whole thing with getting Sora out has become an obsession with you, hasn't it? It's almost as bad as when you were looking for Na-"

"_Shut up, Axel!_"

Axel nearly jumped out of his robes in shock. "Okay, okay! I'll stop right there!"

Roxas snarled like a cornered tiger. "Good!"

_Sheesh!_ Thought Axel as he found himself locked in Roxas's steely, eerie crystal blue gaze, those same eyes glittering with irritation. _Roxas has gotten more powerful and confident since I last saw him…he's obviously taking his desire to free Sora very seriously. I am, as well, but to me it's almost like Roxas really _is_ obsessed with getting Sora out._

"Are you going to tell me what you found, or did you forget?"

"No, I'm gonna tell you." Axel made himself a touch more comfortable before beginning to tell Roxas about what could possibly be the "one percent chance" that Roxas was looking for. "Now, you see, everyone in Kingdom Hearts knows about the Legend of the Keybearer, right?"

"Yeah."

"What's it about?"

"Axel, I don't have-"

"Just humor me a touch, will you?"

Roxas sighed. "Fine. The Legend of the Keybearer speaks of someone somewhere in Kingdom Hearts that has a Heart strong enough to fearlessly fight the forces of the Darkness. This one is so powerful that the mere mentioning of their name is enough to make the hearts of those who live in the Darkness cower in fear for their lives."

"So far, so good. What else?"

"Hmmm…what gives the Keybearer their power is the weapon of their station, called the Keyblade. The Keyblade has the power to Seal the Hearts of the Worlds, including and especially that of Kingdom Hearts, the act of doing so causing the Darkness to be banished from the Heart, leaving behind only the purest of Light."

Axel smiled. "Excellent. Anything else?"

Scowling, Roxas picked away at his brains. "The are many titles that the Keybearer goes by. Master or Mistress of the Keyblade. Hero or Heroine of Hearts. Keeper of the Key. Champion of the Light. All imply the same thing: the Keybearer has an unshakable heart, one that does not fear the Darkness's power, one who merely laughs in the face of it. Their Heart, and their Heart alone, is truly the most powerful shield Kingdom Hearts has. Not even the legendary Princesses of the Heart combining the strengths of their Hearts could even begin to compare to the strength in the Keybearer's."

"Good job. I couldn't have recited it any better myself. So, what about the Keyblade?"

"How does that apply?" Roxas asked, confused.

Axel smiled and spread his hands wide in a disarming shrug. "Humor me, remember?"

Sighing again, Roxas recalled all that he'd learned about Sora's prized weapon of legend. "Very well. The Keyblade is the most pivotal weapon in the fight against the Darkness, the most formidable force to be reckoned with. It is said that nothing can destroy the Keyblade, not the hottest of fires, or the coldest of blizzards, or the strongest of weapons.

"An old saying that goes along with the Keyblade is '_master the Keyblade, master your Heart._' This is because the Keyblade is attuned to its master's heart, providing them with a powerful form of protection against the Darkness…the power of their own heart, which is the strongest shield anyone can have. It is because of the Keyblade's connection to the heart that any changes in the wielder's heart also changes its powers. It becomes stronger when protecting those it cares deeply for, or when facing a hated enemy. But, this also shows that the heart can turn to the Darkness, even when defending those that mean more than life itself.

"Therefore, it is one who can keep their heart turned to the Light, even when they are facing the darkest of the Darkness, be that outside or within themselves, that truly deserves the title bestowed upon the wielder's total mastery of this great weapon. Only the one who masters their heart, and thus masters the powers of the Keyblade in turn, can be called the Master of the Keyblade."

Axel broke out into furious applause, his padded black leather gloves muffling the loud clapping. "Bravo! Bravo, Rox! You've been doing your research, buddy! Great job!"

"I told you I was," Roxas replied. "So, why are you quizzing me? I'm not taking a Mythology and Legends of Kingdom Hearts course, you know. What's going on?"

"Well…I think I've found something that can steer on you onto the right path."

Roxas snorted. "You've been wasting all this time going on and on about pop-quizzing me, when you could've just told me you had something you felt was important! You know I hate beating around the bush! Tell me what you found, Axel Balthazar…_now._"

Axel winced at Roxas's voice dropping to a warning growl. "Okay, okay. Here I go. You see, here's the thing: the reason I asked you about the Legend of the Keybearer is that I found _another_ legend about a Keybearer…the _Second_ Keybearer."

"The _Second_ Keybearer?" Roxas echoed, surprised. "But, I thought-"

"I know, I thought that, too. How can there be two Keybearers? Everything we ever found spoke of _the_ Keybearer. There weren't anymore. Where did this come from?"

"I'm guessing you found out."

"Good guess, Rox, Well, it turns out the Second Keybearer is supposed to take the Keybearer's place should they be unable to complete their mission. The Second Keybearer can use the Keybearer's Keyblade just as if they _were_ their predecessor."

Now Roxas was _really_ confused. "Wait a sec! I thought that only _Sora_ could use his Keyblade! It's supposed to have a powerful spiritual connection with his heart! How can it transfer to someone else?"

Axel nodded. "That's what kept hanging me up, too. But then, I read that the Second Keybearer's heart is said to be _exactly_ like the Keybearer's heart. Of course, it sounds pretty preposterous to me."

"Me, too," Roxas said. "I thought no two hearts were alike! That's what Sora told me, anyway…"

"Yeah. That's what I always heard, too. Well, anyway, I think that to be able to help Sora _and _Kingdom Hearts out, you'll have to try finding the Second Keybearer."

"_What?_" Yelped Roxas as his feet hit the floor with a loud _crash!_ "Ouch! Axel, are you trying to tell me I should go looking for someone that exists by pure speculation? You think I should go on a wild goose chase in hopes of it actually being worthwhile? That's wasting even _more_ time! Sora's been locked in that crystal for _five years_, and you want me to go running around Kingdom Hearts _again _to try and track down someone that 'supposedly' exists? Axel! You don't even know if the legend of the Second Keybearer is true! In all of the books I read on the history of Kingdom Hearts, there has _never_ been any mentioning of a Second Keybearer! How do we know this isn't some thing Xemnas and Maleficent cooked up to throw us off the scent?"

"You're just gonna have to trust me, Roxas!" Axel said, holding his hands up to try and stall Roxas from possibly attacking him. "It's obvious that you've tried everything else and nothing has worked, so why not think _outside_ the box for a change of mental scenery and try the stuff that seems so impossible that there's no way that it'll work? Who knows? Maybe one of those impossibilities may actually get you somewhere."

Scowling, Roxas flopped back into his chair, making it scoot back several inches. He folded his arms huffily across his chest and pondered Axel's thought. "Hmmm…you know, maybe you're right, Ax. I've tried everything else, and nothing's worked. Perhaps I need to do as you say and 'think outside the box.' Sora tried it before, and it seemed to work for him. The only question is…where do I start looking for them? I've been all over Kingdom Hearts, and I haven't found a single clue that could lead me to getting Sora out! If I can't find any help, then how am I supposed to find the Second Keybearer?"

"Didn't Sora say he came from outside of Kingdom Hearts?" Axel inquired with a cock of his head in confusion. "You know, a World outside of the borders?"

"Hmmm…I think so. I think he said he came from…Destiny Islands, I think. Yeah, that was it! Destiny Islands!" Roxas gave Axel a puzzled look. "But, what does Sora's origins in relation to his past have to do with the Second Keybearer's whereabouts?"

"Well, this is just pure guesswork here, but if _Sora_ came from outside, then wouldn't it be possible that his 'heir' could come from outside, too? I mean, that would make sense to me. An outsider takes the place of an outsider. See what I'm getting at?"

Roxas nodded. "A common thread."

"Right. Start with what you know about the Keyblade Master, and then go from there. If the Second Keybearer is supposed to be much like the First, then that would mean that they would have very distinct similarities. The biggest one I would think was that they were both guys."

"That may be true, Ax, but I read in one of Ansem's journals that a Keybearer can be female, too. Girls can be just as powerful as guys are sometimes, so it's no surprise that the Keyblade could choose a female Keybearer. Does that make sense?"

Axel smiled. "It does, indeed! Now, there's one thing that just crossed my mind-"

"Let me venture a guess here," Roxas replied. "Is it the thought of how I am supposed to get out of Kingdom Hearts so I can try to find the Second Keybearer, hm?"

"You're good at guessing games," Axel said with a shake of his head. "That's _exactly_ what I was thinking! Now, I've been doing some research of my own, and I think that I might've found a couple places that can get you out of here."

"Where are they?"

"There's three that are close to where we are. The first is here in Hollow Bastion, the second is in Traverse Town, and the third is in…drum roll, please…Twilight Town."

Roxas gaped in shock. "_Twilight Town?_ There's a way out in _Twilight Town?_"

"Yep."

The Master of the KeyStaff clapped a hand to his forehead in frustration. "No way…there's a way out of here back in my hometown…where is it?"

"I can tell you where all three are, Rox," Axel replied. "Here in Hollow Bastion, it's in where the gates are on the outskirts of town."

"The Castle Gate," Roxas mused. "Hmmm…Sora told me the Keyblade had reacted there when he'd fought Demyx. He'd said it'd acted up like it'd found the portal to a World…the Keyblade was able to find the portals to other Worlds…that's how I was able to find my way to The World that Never Was without Sora's help. I guess he'd found a way out of Kingdom Hearts and he didn't know it."

Axel grinned. "He must've. Now, the second is in Traverse Town, and from what I understand, it's at the end of an alley somewhere. There's quite a few of those hanging about there, so I'm not quite sure which one it could be down. Sorry."

Roxas's eyebrows rose in wonder. "That must've been the portal that brought Sora to Kingdom Hearts six years ago."

"Probably. So, as for Twilight Town, it's in that place you told me about."

"I told you about a lot of places in Twilight Town. Where is it?"

Axel rolled his eyes to the ceiling, seeking divine guidance. He scratched at his temple, ruffling his spiky sideburns. "Erm…give a minute…it's in that place that's all underground. You know, the one that's full of those weird passageways that take you all over Twilight Town? It's all dark and cold and creepy…do you what place I'm talking about, because I can't remember the name of it for the life of me."

This time Roxas perked up visibly. "The Underground Concourse?" "_That's_ it!" Axel crowed triumphantly. "I couldn't remember what it was called!"

"Okay…so, which one's the easiest to get to?"

"My guess would be the one here. You don't have to do all the crazy running around and getting lost to find it. Of course, I have a feeling that Xemnas knows about these portals, too, so I'd be careful if I were you, Rox. I'm willing to be that some of the other members have sent their apprentices out and about to try and find you. Better be _really_ cautious, Rox…who knows who's out there."

Roxas scowled as he stood up. "I guess I'll take my chances, then. So, there's here, Traverse Town, and Twilight Town that can help me get out of Kingdom Hearts, eh? So be it, then. I'll go to all three and find my way out of one of them. And _if_ I manage to find any of my fellow apprentices…well, I'll deal with them then. Thanks for all the help, Ax. You'd better get back to Xemnas's Castle, before Xemnas gets suspicious and send one of our _friends_ after you."

"Good luck, Roxas," Axel replied with a smirk.

"Thanks, Axel," Roxas said as he walked out of the room. He glanced back once at Axel, who waved him off with a quick jerk of his hand, and then he continued on his way out of Ansem's Castle and to the Castle Gate.

"Yeah, Roxas," Axel said softly. "Good luck…you're sure gonna need it…"

_Hollow Bastion - Castle Gate_

Roxas had a sneaky feeling he was being watched. His instincts, trained from several years of battle and instruction, were bristling with tension. Cautiously, he Summoned his KeyStaff as he mounted the last couple steps to the landing that stood just before the awe-inspiring wrought iron gates.

"So, _Roxas_, I see that you finally decided to come out of the woodwork. Where've you been, buddy? Everybody's missed you _so_ much, you know. I'm glad to see you're all right. I would've hated to have to see you if you weren't yourself."

_That voice…_Roxas thought. _I've heard it before…_ He glanced about the high rocky walls, the craggy cliffs of the canyon that lead down into the Canyon Trail and The Great Maw behind and below him. Especially cautious of the deep, dark shadows that were nestled amongst the various outcrops and depressions, he slowly walked along the tiled landing, his boots making not a sound as he stalked his way to the gates across the way. He readied the KeyStaff in his hands, senses on the alert for an attack.

A blur came flashing from out of nowhere, a shining weapon made of white steel. The dusky twilight glinted off of it, making it flash like a glacial thunderbolt. It crackled with Blizzard magic, a whirl of crystalline snowflakes and powder.

Roxas anticipated the move. He dodged to one side and swung out with the KeyStaff, catching the frigid weapon with the head of Oathkeeper and flinging it away from him. It clattered against the tiles with a sharp cacophony of ringing before it came spinning to rest several yards behind him. He glanced back at the weapon, mildly surprised to see that it was two twin bladed battleaxes that were connected together at the ends by a sturdy, thick-linked chain.

"Hey, you've gotten pretty good since I last saw you, Roxas, old pal! I almost got you with that move the last time we met! You've been practicing!"

Roxas spoke not a word as he scanned the area, his sharp eerie crystal blue eyes seeking any signs of a hooded figure hiding amongst the smoky shadows. He had recognized the weapon the moment he'd set eyes on it, and now he was seeking out the weapon's owner.

Suddenly, he spotted it. A tall, scrawny shadow, almost completely hidden by the ashy gray robes of an apprentice of Organization XIII. He stared coldly at the figure, keeping his silence as he adopted a casual pose with the KeyStaff balanced in his right hand and held slightly behind him. This was the classic stance of an Organization XIII member that mastered any kind of staff-like weapon. It seemed unassuming to the unwary observer, almost as if they warrior was leaving themselves prone to attack, but it was in fact the initial way for a member to size up their opponent.

"Oho! You're not coming up to see me, are you?" The figure said in obvious amusement. "All right, then, Roxas. That's just fine with me. If _you_ won't come up to meet _me_, then _I'll_ come down to meet _you_ instead!"

_Go right ahead,_ Roxas thought. _I'm waiting for you, coward._

It wasn't long for his foe to appear down on the same level he was at. They noiselessly landed on the ground, and then smoothly walked through the gates, stopping about five yards away from Roxas. The distance was a wisely chosen one due to the fact that it was several feet out of the farthest reaches of Roxas's KeyStaff were he to hold it at the base of either one of the Keyblade heads.

The enemy pulled their hood back away from their head, revealing a gaunt and sharply angular face with high cheekbones. Their hair was shocking white, and would've been about shoulder length had it been down smooth instead of stylized into a bunch of sharp spikes that stuck out everywhere and were tipped with a pale icy blue color, almost like the color of a glacier. A pair of frozen light bluish-green eyes stared at Roxas from within sunken sockets, and they shone with malice as their owner smiled a ghastly grin like that of a hungry wolf.

Roxas immediately recognized his opponent. "Saxus," He growled.

Saxus bobbed his head in reply. "So, you remember me. I'm flattered, Roxas."

"Why are you here?"

"Why, to stop you from saving the Master of the Keyblade, of course," Saxus replied. "I thought you would know everyone is looking for you by now. I'm surprised you were able to hide for three years, my friend. Very clever."

Roxas grunted. "I am _not_ your _friend,_" He snapped curtly. "I am your superior."

"That you are, Honored One," Saxus said, bobbing his head in respect. "I am merely an apprentice, and you are an Honorary Member of the Organization. Your ascension into the ranks of The Thirteen Masters is delayed only by time. Soon, you will join the Masters, and I will be left to watch you from afar as you become the strongest Master of all."

"Stop sucking up," Spat Roxas, eyes sparking with cold disdain. "You're beginning to annoy me, Saxus. Either step aside and let me do my task without interruption, or else take up your arms and face me."

Saxus sighed and shook his head. "Must you be so violent, Roxas? If you would just come quietly with me back to our High Lord's castle, then everything will be fine. Neither of us would have to draw the other's blood."

Roxas resisted the urge to laugh. He instead gave Saxus a cold half-smile. "Look at the pot calling the kettle black. Last I checked, _you_ were the one that was always inciting violence amongst our fellow apprentices. How many times were you disciplined for your misconducts?"

"I lost count at thirty," Saxus replied, scratching his chin pensively. Then, he shrugged. "Ah, well. I guess I was just merely warming up. You know, Roxas, another one of those tournaments like the one you won a couple years ago is coming up. I'd like to have you challenge me again. I've been working on my technique, and I'd love nothing more than to show you what I've learned since we last fought."

"Maybe some other time," Roxas replied coldly. He brandished the KeyStaff in a threatening gesture. "Now, are you going to get out of my way, or am I going to have not be held responsible for my actions?"

"I'm afraid, my friend, that I cannot let you pass," Saxus said with a false air of regret. "It looks like I'm going to have no choice but to prematurely challenge you." Before Roxas could make a move, he Summoned his weapon from across the Castle Gates and came charging at him. When he judged he was close enough, he grabbed the center of the chain and brought the twin white steel axes whirling above his head. Then, with a screeching growl like a wildcat, he suddenly brought the weapon soaring down across his body with the intent of slicing Roxas in half at the waist.

Roxas hardly seemed to move. He waited until Saxus was virtually on top of him, and then he coolly pivoted out of the way. As Saxus went sailing past him, he sent the Oblivion end of the KeyStaff plunging through the middle of Saxus's back, skewering him without looking behind him. Then, with a barely audible grunt of disgust, he yanked his weapon out of his foe's body and continued walking on into the Bailey.

"I warned you to stay out of my way, Saxus," He said frostily as he disappeared through the gates. "And now, because you didn't listen to me, you don't have your life anymore. That's what happens to those who dare to stand in my way, _my friend_…those who disobey me suffer the ultimate punishment…"

Saxus said nothing as his body disintegrated into a cloud of ashy smoke with blue-black fire. He and his weapon remained visible for but a few seconds, and then faded away altogether.

However, in spite of the short battle, neither Roxas or Saxus had noticed the solitary black-robed figure that'd been hiding in the shadows behind them both. It nodded once in proud acknowledgment, and then vanished.

_Twilight Town - Station Plaza_

"What an idiot," Roxas muttered to himself as he stepped out into the Station Plaza from Central Station. "Saxus thought he had a chance against _me._ Huh! What a weakling! Looks to me like Naxuna needs to pick her apprentices a little more carefully! I'd be ashamed of myself if my apprentice fell in defeat before he even put up a fight! I can only wonder what such a crappy performance as that would make me look like to Xemnas! He'd probably see me as a complete dolt and do away with me for good!"

Scowling, Roxas made his way down towards Station Heights, which would take him straight to the entrance to the Underground Concourse. He failed to detect that he was being followed by another ashy gray robe, this one stalking along through the night like a cat. They carefully measured their steps, and they were even more careful to conceal their weapons from the rising moonlight.

Roxas was on somebody's hit list again.

_Twilight Town - Underground Concourse_

The Underground Concourse was very chilly at night, mainly because of its obvious underground design and being constructed of brick, concrete, and metal. Roxas found its dark and damp atmosphere rather depressing, but it at the same time felt peaceful to him, almost as if it was frozen blanket to protect him from the dangers of the outside World.

_I wasn't able to find the portal to outside of Kingdom Hearts by Hollow Bastion's Castle Gate,_ Roxas thought irritably. _I know I didn't stick around long enough to try and find it, but I just had a feeling that I needed to get out of there as soon as possible. It was just too dangerous to pause and hunt about for something that can't be seen. Hopefully, I can find it here. If not, then Traverse Town will be my only option left. I just hope I don't have to resort to that…I don't know Traverse Town that well…_

_PING!_

Roxas ducked quickly as the thrum of another thrown weapon went zipping past his left ear, neatly clipping a piece of his hair off. The weapon thrummed ahead of him and struck the mortar of a nearby brick wall, burying itself halfway up to the hilt.

"Curse you, Avalon! You moved! That should've hit you right between the eyes from the back of your head! You cheated!"

The Master of the KeyStaff slowly turned around at the sound of the feminine voice. He stared levelly at the lithe figure that came slinking out of the shadows. Realizing his assumption was indeed correct, he nodded at the sight of his nemesis. "Aha. I _thought_ that was you, Xenia. "

"Now, how'd you know it was me?" Xenia asked, her hood falling back to reveal her delicate features that showed off her pasty pale complexion, almond-shaped violet eyes, and glossy, straight ebony black hair. She gave him a teasing smile. "Was it _that_ easy to figure out who I was? Roxas! Stop being such a smart-aleck!"

"You're the only one that uses black weapons."

Xenia pointed at Oblivion. "Yeah, but _you're_ using a black weapon, too, Roxas."

"Yes, but only recently," Roxas replied. "So, have you, too, come to stop me?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Xenia said. "The High Lord isn't happy with your disappearance, Roxas. He's quite irritated with you."

Roxas frowned. "He can stay that way. I've had it with Organization XIII. I got what I wanted out of it: I found out exactly what happened to Sora. I have vowed to bring the Master of the Keyblade back, and I won't let anyone stop me. That includes you, as well, Xenia."

Xenia appeared to be more sincerely regretful than Saxus had been back in Hollow Bastion. "Do I have to kill you, Roxas? I hope not…I really didn't enjoy the thought that I might have to do that to you. You see, I like you, Roxas. I envy you for your power. I wish I could be as strong as you. And, you know, I once heard High Lord Xemnas speak of you as a most promising apprentice for himself, and that he believed you could go far in the Organization, perhaps even as his second in command."

"I have no desire to ascend the ranks of Organization XIII."

"So, that means you won't come back with me?"

"Absolutely not."

"I have to kill you, then," Xenia said in disappointment.

"It appears so," Roxas said coldly, Summoning his KeyStaff and readying it.

Xenia shrugged. "Ah, well. Have it your way, Roxas. Just remember, I tried to offer you a way out. It was you that refused my help." She then readied one of her two remaining weapons, a thin weapon much like a Chinese sword, and took a flying leap at Roxas like a dark raven.

Roxas was prepared for the aerial attack. He knelt down on one knee and braced the KeyStaff over his head. He swung forward with the Oathkeeper side of the KeyStaff, and had Xenia's weapon go sliding over the top of his hand and through its hilt until the hilt of her blade locked up against it, the tip of the blade just going past the outside of Roxas's left shoulder. As it was, it left a small tear in the fabric of his favorite black jacket.

_That was too close,_ Roxas thought as he rotated the KeyStaff back towards himself so that the hilt of Oathkeeper locked Xenia's sword in place. He leaped to his feet and pushed Xenia away from him, leaving her empty-handed as her sword was still captured in Oathkeeper's hilt.

Undaunted, Xenia dropped to the ground and tumbled her way to the brick wall that her other sword was trapped in. She yanked on the hilt and managed to pull it partially out before Roxas was attacking her. Xenia yowled in pain as Oblivion slashed at her side, tearing her robes open and scoring a gash down her ribs. She whirled away, the sword coming away in her grasp.

"First blood, Xenia," Roxas said with a cold smirk as he motioned toward her torn side with a slight motion of his KeyStaff. "Now, it's your turn."

Xenia took the chance. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she lashed out with her newly reclaimed weapon, forcing Roxas to take a step back. She flailed back and forth, back and forth, making Roxas slowly but surely retreat through the passageways of the Underground Concourse.

Roxas, like Xenia, ground his teeth tight as he struggled to gain an advantage. What bothered him was that he and Xenia were flickering in and out of the few neon lights that still worked, and that was making it harder for them to see each other. Roxas cursed furiously. How could he manage to score a hit and then try to find that blasted portal if he couldn't see?

A quick skirmishing motion from Roxas made Xenia go on the defensive. She employed her other sword, which she'd grabbed shortly before her beleaguering Roxas, and then began a whirlwind of furious slashes that were intended to slice Roxas to ribbons if he got too close. Faster and faster she swirled, her blades dancing with dark fire as she danced through the glaring lights.

_Uh-oh!_ Thought Roxas as he began to twist and dodge out of the way of the seeking weapons. _How am I supposed to stop her when she's fully armed? I can't get near her, not without risking having myself shredded to death! There's _got _to be a way to stop her!_

"What's the matter, Roxas?" Xenia asked as she took a wild swing at where Roxas's head would've been had he not sidestepped the attack. "You're disappointing me! I thought I was going to get a challenge from the Honorary Member, and he's just dodging me! Hold still, Roxas, so I can cut you up and take your title for myself!"

"Fat chance," Roxas snarled. He stepped backwards and leaned so far back that he almost did a back flip. But, when he saw Xenia bring one of her blades straight down to strike him in the base of his chest, he made a surprising move and actually did the back flip he'd just so narrowly done, the sword sliding harmlessly between his knees as he kicked Xenia square in the jaw and sent her sprawling. Then, he leaped to his feet and fled into the Underground Concourse, his mind formulating a plan as he dove into the shadows.

Xenia sprang to her own feet and chased after Roxas. "Run all you like, coward! I'll catch up to you, and then I shall enjoy slowly skinning you alive!"

Roxas smirked wickedly. Xenia was falling for his plan! He suddenly skidded around a dark corner and readied his attack, which was going to be a strong upswing brought on by a skillful pivot away from the wall he'd pinned himself up against.

The apprentice of Organization XIII didn't even know what hit her. She came blasting around the same corner, only to have Roxas put his plan in motion, step away from the wall in a graceful pivot for someone of his great size, and then swiftly bring Oathkeeper up and around his body in a cruel flash of shining white steel, tearing Xenia's robes apart and rending her lifeless in one stroke.

Xenia dropped to the ground in an ear-piercing shriek, much like that of a hawk on the hunt. She didn't even fully touch the floor before she vanished in a blast of dark blue-and-black fire and ashy smoke. Her shining black twin Chinese swords glinted for but a moment, and then disappeared themselves in the same fire-and-smoke aura.

Roxas dismissed his KeyStaff. "Well done, Xenia," He commented dryly. "You did a much better job facing me than Saxus did back in Hollow Bastion. I must say that I was indeed impressed. Your big brother, Xaldin, would've been proud of you were he still alive."

After his short eulogy for his former opponent, Roxas turned his gaze out into the inky blackness as a thought crossed his mind. "The entire time I was down here I was unable to locate the whereabouts of the portal that would help me leave Kingdom Hearts. So, if that's two out of three Worlds that don't have the portal in them, then I'm assuming Xemnas discovered both the one in Hollow Bastion and here and had them destroyed. I guess, then, that means that I must head to Traverse Town. If there isn't one there, then I must keep looking for a way out."

Roxas's booted footsteps echoed in the darkened halls as he found his way towards an exit out of the Underground Concourse and back out to Twilight Town. He needed to find a way to Traverse Town before Xemnas beat him to the punch again.

At the end of the hall opposite the direction was walking, another shadow watched the Master of the KeyStaff's exit. They remained standing in the hallway for quite a while after Roxas vanished from their sights, and then they, too, left the Underground Concourse in search of the outside World.

_Traverse Town - Gateway Square_

Roxas felt totally lost as he stepped through the oaken doors that protected Traverse Town from whatever dangers lurked outside. _The problem,_ He thought, _is that the dangers aren't on the outside trying to get in, but on the _inside_ trying to not get killed off._ He took a good look around the quaint little town that reminded him somewhat of Twilight Town, although its buildings were more rustic looking and not so modernized. They were built mostly of stone and wood, with the occasional brick building crowded in between the various structures. The neighborhoods were tightly packed together, each with their own cobblestone-paved street and brick-laid alleyways.

The sight of the numerous streets and alleys made Roxas groan as if in agonizing pain. He clapped a hand to his forehead in despair as he recalled what Axel had told him back in Hollow Bastion. _Axel was right…Traverse Town is a maze! How am I supposed to find that blasted portal if I don't know where in the freakin' heck I'm supposed to begin searching? Darn it!_

Sighing heavily, Roxas decided that the best way to start looking was pick a street and work his way through town. He would search every possible road until he found what he was looking for! If he had to, he'd search Traverse Town a thousand-and-one times over! He just _had_ to find that portal! The fates of Sora and Kingdom Hearts were counting on him locating the Second Keybearer! The Second Keybearer was truly the last and only hope for Kingdom Hearts!

_Traverse Town - Fountain Square_

"This is insane," Roxas hissed as he picked his way through the empty, desolate streets of Traverse Town, the evening light from the streetlamps casting strong shadows against the nighttime moonlight. "I've already searched half of this place, and I can't find anything! I was right all along…Axel sent me on a gods be cursed wild goose chase! _Grrrr_…he's gonna catch it when I catch up to him…!"

Fighting the urge to roar in frustration, Roxas ground his teeth together as he trudged along the roads, cautiously watching the shadows as he watched for anything that might provide him with a clue as to the whereabouts of the portal. _There's got to be _something_ here somewhere…I just _know_ there is! C'mon, Sora…help me out here, buddy! Help me find a way out of here so I can help you Seal Kingdom Hearts and go home!_

"Hello, Roxas. What's the matter? Are you lost? Maybe I can help you out."

Roxas stiffened at the sound of the voice that came from behind him. He felt his heart race as he suddenly heard the roar of fire come blasting towards him. Making a hasty calculation that was more instinct than conscious thought, Roxas dropped to the ground as the screaming fireball whooshed over him, its aura of heat making the air around him shimmer in waves.

In the first few seconds after dropping prone, Roxas noticed a shadow covering his own. He immediately rolled to one side, a flash of gold and silvery steel just missing his shoulder as it clanged sharply against the cobblestones. He got himself halfway standing when he had to Summon his KeyStaff to deflect an attack that was heading straight for his head. He felt the reverberations of metal striking metal go through his body like shockwaves, making him flinch.

"Well, well, well. It looks like you've gotten better, Roxas. I'm impressed."

Roxas glared up at the face of his new foe, who had already uncovered their face so he could get full view of them. "Xephyrus!" He barked.

"You recognized me?" Xephyrus hissed pleasurably. "Impressive."

With a biting oath and a primitive snarl at the sight of one of his most hated enemies, Roxas used all of his strength to leap to his feet and push his enemy back and away from him. Snorting the dust out of his nose, Roxas steadied himself and readied his weapon. "What are you doing here, Raging Phoenix?" He snapped, his expression full of icy fire.

"Ooh, you even remember my nickname," Xephyrus said in mock shock as he himself stood up and readied his weapon, which was a staff-like weapon with a gleaming falchion blade attached to either end of it. "You'll be pleased to know I still remember yours as well, Dark Moonlight Dragon."

"I _hate_ that nickname," Roxas snarled. "I'm not a dragon!"

"So do I," Xephyrus growled. "_And_ I hate the one it belongs to. After all, he did something very cruel to me. Can't you see it, Roxas? Can you see what you did to me?"

Roxas stared hard at Xephyrus's face. If the Organization member hadn't decided to become a member, he was willing to bet that his adversary would've been a rather handsome young man. However, his nemesis had one feature that was a remnant of a battle he and Roxas had participated in three years before that point: Xephyrus's left eye had been damaged during that confrontation. Roxas had even heard the medics say it was very likely that Xephyrus was blind in that eye. That eye was now covered with a dark blue sash that went across his face, almost like a pirate that had lost his eye patch somehow, making Xephyrus have a wicked look about him.

Xephyrus scowled darkly. "See what you did to me, Roxas? Do you want me to show you what it looks like? I'm sure the craftsman would love to see his masterpiece."

"Don't be sarcastic," Roxas spat. "I _hate_ sarcasm."

"Well, you won't have to worry about hearing much more of it," Xephyrus snapped. "I swore I'd have my revenge on you, and now I'm going to have it! Your life ends here, Roxas Avalon! Here! Tonight! At my hands! Tonight is the night you will last look upon the moon!"

Roxas snorted in disgust. "Shut up and make your move," He hissed.

Xephyrus obliged him immediately. He tried a double-ended attack that would've either tripped Roxas up or bashed him upside the head. He cursed in fury, however, when Roxas somehow managed to evade the vicious surprise maneuver, then turn the tables on him by batting his staff to one side with the KeyStaff. Xephyrus grunted as Roxas did a nasty snap kick to the left side of his face, making it scream in agony with the furious sensation of the skin being on fire.

_I don't have time for games, _Roxas thought irritably as he left the writhing Xephyrus crumpled up in the middle of the square as he headed for the closest building, which just so happened to be what appeared to be some kind of small factory. He needed to try and see where he was going…what better way than to have an aerial view?

Back on the cobblestones, Xephyrus growled and seethed like a tiger foaming at the mouth. He managed to drag himself to his feet and pick up his weapon. He ground his teeth so tightly from the pain that anybody within fifty feet of him could hear them grating together. With an irritated snarl that sounded partially like the screech of an eagle, Xephyrus took off after Roxas, yelling after his opponent.

"Run as fast as you can, Roxas Launcelot Avalon! You won't get away from me!"

_Traverse Town - Factory_

The Factory was nothing like Roxas had ever seen. It appeared to manufacture what appeared to be something akin to gift boxes, complete with gift wrap, ribbons, and bows. However, he knew that it might be enough if he scattered a few of them to hold Xephyrus at bay.

Xephyrus came roaring into the Factory only a few seconds behind Roxas. He cast a Thunder attack at Roxas's unprotected backside, only to have it go streaking off course and strike a pile of unwrapped boxes. The boxes reeled from the attack, then toppled forward like a pile of gigantic children's wooden blocks, clattering and banging about as they tumbled to the floor.

Roxas swore in shock as he found himself besieged by at least a dozen boxes. However, the falling cartons suddenly gave him an idea. Using the KeyStaff like a baseball bat, Roxas smacked the boxes away from him and instead aimed them at Xephyrus, forcing the apprentice to back off and wait for the cascade to subside.

"Curse you, Avalon!" Xephyrus howled. "These clumsy little Christmas gifts won't keep me away from you for long! I'll have your life in my hands yet, you fool!"

"Come and get me, then, if you're man enough to try!" Roxas retorted as he scrambled up a piece of machinery and crawled his way out of a nearby window. He kicked another tower of boxes over on his way out, trapping the charging Xephyrus beneath them. He heard Xephyrus's roar of fury as he clawed his way up onto the rooftops of Traverse Town, temporarily dismissing his KeyStaff so as to be able to pull himself up faster. Another Thunder spell came rocketing out of the window, its electrical aura just barely missing the bottom of Roxas's boots. In fact, it went grazing past his right shoulder as it streaked off into the night.

Once he was on the top of the roof of the Factory, Roxas lunged for the closest rooftop and took off in a dead run. He leaped another gap and landed on another roof just as he heard Xephyrus come exploding out the window now two roofs away. The sight of his enemy come flying up onto the roof in a manner much like the mythical bird of prey he was nicknamed after made Roxas realize that he had to move all the faster. It was obvious that "The Raging Phoenix" wasn't going to let the "Dark Moonlight Dragon" get away from him that easily.

Xephyrus tugged himself up onto the rooftops of Traverse Town. His single eye was gleaming madly within its socket, making him appear to be a fiend incarnate. Taking up his weapon, he used it as a pole vault to clear the first roof, then gave himself enough of a running start to use the same trick a second time. He let loose with a particularly scathing obscenity as he saw that Roxas had vanished from sight!

_Traverse Town - Hidden Alley_

Roxas could hear Xephyrus scrabbling around on the tiles overhead. He pulled himself back into the shadows of the little haven he'd discovered from himself by pure accident, hoping that Xephyrus would go flying past him and leave him free to search for the portal. He wasn't afraid of Xephyrus…it was just that his half-blind nemesis was just too much of a nuisance right now. He'd deal with the viciously-tempered apprentice of Organization XIII when he came back with the Second Keybearer and after Sora was free. _Then_ he could worry about handling Xephyrus.

Then, suddenly, Roxas head Xephyrus come charging across the rooftop that he'd just run on to come to his secret hiding place. The breathing of his enemy was ragged and fierce, almost like a snarling bear, and he could hear Xephyrus's boots pounding on the clay tiles. He knew it would only be a matter of a few seconds before Xephyrus would attempt to cross the gap to the next roof straight ahead of them both.

_Wait a minute…I have a chance to _really_ mess with Xephyrus's head…I can _totally_ catch him off guard! He won't know what hit him when I do this! That's it! I'm going to do it, even if it screws everything up! I can't resist having some fun at my old rival's expense!_

Something caught the end of Xephyrus's weapon as he went flying across the gap that separated his takeoff point and his landing point from each other. His weapon jerked like it'd gotten stuck in a pothole, and the apprentice found himself flying facedown into the tiled roof. With a horribly foul curse, Xephyrus tumbled down the roof, padded and textured gloves catching the copper rain gutter and saving him from a two-story plunge.

Looking up with his one good eye, Xephyrus saw his weapon skidding down the roof after him, and he risked falling to reach for it. It slid successfully into his possession, whereupon he jammed the weapon into the gutter and tried to pull himself up.

"Hey, Xephyrus!"

Xephyrus felt his heart stop. The voice had come from over his head! Looking up, Xephyrus was amazed to see Roxas standing on the top of the roof, a cocky smirk on his face. "What the…_Avalon?_"

Roxas gave Xephyrus a teasing wave. "Catch me if you can."

The fires of rage exploded inside of Xephyrus as he saw Roxas disappear from the rooftop and head off in the opposite direction. He howled his fury to the night skies as he fought furiously with gravity as he tried to pull himself up onto the roof and thus re-initiate his pursuit.

"_Roxas Avalon!_"

_Traverse Town - Rooftop Square_

Roxas came down for a hard landing on the small village square that was oddly up in amongst the rooftops of Traverse Town. He paused to catch his breath and took stock of his new surroundings.

The Rooftop Square was a quiet little retreat. Made in the fashion that was similar to the few rooftop gardens Roxas had seen in Sunset Terrace back in Twilight Town, it was an area that had several benches, a fountain in the middle of it. There were planters and pots all over the place, and there were also various plants climbing up trellises that were cemented into the ground. Lastly, it was surrounded on almost all four sides by a railing that easily came up to the bottom of his chest, meaning it was at least four feet high, with the only exception being a gap where a small staircase went back down to the surface streets two stories below him.

Carefully keeping an eye peeled for Xephyrus, Roxas strolled about the perimeter of the rooftop Square, his other eye trained on the World below him. It was kind of nice to see such a quiet, peaceful town that reminded him so much of home….

Suddenly, he got a stunning shock. Sora's Keyblade had magically appeared in his hand without him Summoning it! It hadn't done that since Roxas had dismissed it three years ago back in Disney Castle after he'd taken it into his care! What was going on?

The head of the Keyblade pulsated with a soft bluish-white light, almost as if it were the blip n a radar screen. It glowed more brightly when Roxas turned to his right, and it would dim if he went to his left.

Roxas suddenly understood. _The Keyblade is sensing the portal! I'm close! The portal still exists! Finally…I can get out of here! I can go find the Second Keybearer!_

When he followed the light emanating from the Keyblade, Roxas was able to go over to the northern side of the Rooftop Square and look straight down. The power of the Keyblade had actually revealed a portal of swirling, shining pale gold and snow white that was about half the width of the alley, and it was waiting for him to jump in! Roxas could hardly believe it. He finally had his chance to keep his promise to Sora!

"Oh no, you don't, Avalon! Don't you even _think_ of trying to get away again!"

Swirling on his heels, Roxas saw that Xephyrus had found him. His enemy was now charging him down as fast as he could possibly go, the falchion-headed staff aimed right at his midsection,, as if Xephyrus was going to skewer him.

But Roxas was ready. He was too close to reaching his goal to let anyone stand in his way now. He dropped to the ground and kicked his legs out rigid, sending Xephyrus flying back and away from him. The force of his kick was so powerful that it made Xephyrus tumble along the ground when he landed, and then crash down the stairs to the first landing one story below.

Xephyrus leaped to his feet, then dashed his way up the stairs. As he reached halfway up, he gathered up enough breath to call out his warning:

"My Lord! Come quickly! It's Roxas Avalon! I've found him! He's found the portal! He's going to try and escape from Kingdom Hearts!"

Roxas felt his heart stop. _Xemnas? He's here?_

"Hold it right there, Roxas."

Whirling again, Roxas saw High Lord Xemnas of Organization XIII standing about ten feet away from him. Xemnas's hood was back, revealing his shocking mid-shoulder length white hair and gleaming amber eyes that were locked on Roxas's of eerie crystal blue.

Roxas gritted out his "High Lord's" name. "_Xemnas!_"

"Indeed, Roxas," Xemnas replied with a polite nod of his head. "You've done remarkably well at hiding yourself out of the sights of the Organization for three years. You are a credit to Axel. However, I believe that you have gone far enough." He held his gloved hand out. "Hand over the Keyblade, Roxas. Give me Sora's Keyblade, and we'll just let this whole thing about you running away slide. We'll just pretend that it never happened, all right?"

Xemnas's deal was actually sounding good. Immunity from reprimand? That was almost too good to be true! Of course, the offer didn't change the way Roxas felt, but he intentionally held off his decision.

"Give me the Keyblade," Xemnas said evenly.

"Stay right where you are, Roxas! You're mine at last!"

"Xephyrus! No!" Xemnas barked.

Too late. Xephyrus came streaking across the Rooftop Square again, his war cry a piercing screech as he was whirling his weapon in a gleaming blur of gold and white-hot steel that was blazing with magical flames on the falchions. It almost looked like Xephyrus had flaming wings, much like a phoenix!

Roxas made his decision. He snapped a glare at Xemnas. "Thanks, but no thanks, Xemnas. I still have a score to settle with you. You still have to pay for Naminé's murder with your life, and I won't let anything get in the way of that debt being repaid in full. Your days are numbered, High Lord Xemnas of Organization XIII…enjoy them while you still can."

Xephyrus was now within striking range. He screeched in triumph as he came within striking distance of Roxas, his weapon raised for the killing blow…

Glancing at Xephyrus, Roxas made his move. He turned on his heels, backed up about half of the distance between himself and Xemnas, and then took off in a dead run. He dismissed Sora's Keyblade, and then Summoned his KeyStaff for protection from Xephyrus's attacks in case the timing was off. Then, in perfect stride, Roxas made a flying leap that took him onto the railing. All he did was touch down just long enough to give himself the boost necessary to throw himself off the railing in an amazing aerial tumble, his body and the KeyStaff describing a perfect three-hundred-and-sixty-degree rotation.

Xephyrus, The Raging Phoenix, shrieked in fury as he saw Roxas right himself in mid-air and plummet feet-first into the portal. It was only a matter of seconds before the portal started to close upon itself. To Xephyrus, though, the portal was still open enough for him to jump into and follow Roxas! Determined to follow his foe to the death and consumed with lust for vengeance, he mounted the railing…

Xemnas reached out with lightning quick speed and snagged Xephyrus roughly by the hood of his ashen gray robes. He yanked the young apprentice forcefully back onto the ground, sending him sprawling. He furiously kicked the double-bladed weapon from Xephyrus's grasp, and then pinned him to the ground with a heavy booted foot onto his chest.

"My Lord!" Xephyrus squealed in furious temper. "Do you realize what you've just done? You just let that renegade Roxas Avalon escape Kingdom Hearts, and with Sora's Keyblade in his possession! You've just put our mission in danger, my Lord!"

"Shut up," Xemnas hissed in a very reptilian-like manner and roughly kicking Xephyrus away. "You have not the right to reprimand me! _I_ am the one in command! No one, _especially_ not an _apprentice_, has the right to admonish me!"

"Forgive me, my Lord," Xephyrus said meekly. "I wanted to destroy Roxas. I must have my revenge on him. It is because of him that I am now half-blind! He must pay for what he's done to me!" "You are forgiven," Xemnas replied flatly. He then turned to look back over the railing, the portal long gone. He smiled coldly. "Never fear, though, Xephyrus…Roxas Avalon will return someday. Like he said, he still has a score to settle with me, and by the gods he won't let that rest. No, Xephyrus, Roxas will return…and when he does, I'll be waiting for him…"


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Outcast and the Opportunity for Adventure

_Five Years Later_

_Key Islands – Compass City – North Star High School_

The young woman peeked to the left, stone-gray eyes seeking danger…

None.

Uncertain, she peered out towards the right…

Clear.

Feeling a slight zephyr of relief, she took two steps into the open…

_BANG!_ A massive tackle exploded out from the left side, catching the poor girl off guard, sending her crashing to the ground in an excruciating jolt of pain as her right shoulder contacted with the pavement. Stars danced before her blurred vision as she felt herself being hoisted into the air like a rag doll and slammed into the wall of the building she'd taken cover behind only moments before.

"How ya doin' _half-breed?_" A young man's voice floated into her consciousness, the sting of the insult cutting through her disorientation like a white-hot knife. "Did ya have a nice day at school today?"

"…Rusty…" The girl croaked, her slurred voice thick with anger. She glared icily at him through her golden blonde hair that was now a disheveled mess and hanging down in her eyes. "You…_coward_…"

"Ooh, did ya hear that, Russ?" Another young man said, coming over from his hiding place behind the trees. "The little punk called you a coward! Whoa-oa! She's got a mouth on her! Pity it's the only part of her that can move at the moment!" The boy sniggered.

Squirming, the young woman fought to escape. "Lemme go, you freak!"

"Rusty" flashed the girl a grin. "Whassamatta, Naomé? Don't like being pinned to the wall?" His voice dripped with mock sympathy as he spoke. "Aw, that must suck. Here, lemme help you down!" He loosed his grip on the girl's shirt, and just as she started to slide down to the ground, he flashed out with his left fist, catching her full in the gut with a meaty punch that knocked the wind out of her and sent her to the earth with a sickening _thud!_

Laughing, Rusty and his gang of venomous cohorts walked towards the basketball courts, trading high-fives all around as they left the young woman and her riffled through possessions in the middle of the schoolyard, her stomach burning like she'd swallowed a vial of living fire. They knew they'd find a whole slew of other kids like their current victim to pick on, and many of them were weaker than her.

Naomé Meilin Windom groaned in agony as she tried to move her paralyzed and burning body from its position on the ground. She brushed her leaf-ridden pale-golden-blonde hair out of her face and inched painfully towards her disheveled things about her. Oh, she was going to be a beautiful sight when she got home! More than likely she was going to have to tell her mother about what happened again so she could phone the principal and schedule another one of those stupid meetings in which Rusty and his idiotic henchmen would swear up and down to Principal Malley that they would never harass her again, only to be right back at it the next morning. Life was just not fair!

Sighing heavily, Naomé began to stuff everything back into her backpack. Why did she have to be so different? What had decreed she had to be the daughter of an American woman and a Japanese man, forced to live a lonely existence where she was treated with scorn and suspicion because of her heritage? What was it that made people see _what_ she was, not _who_ she was, and judge her by her appearance alone without even giving her a chance to prove herself as dependable, trustworthy, and honorable? Was it her destiny to be shunned by the entire World, to be someone that would never be able to amount to anything because none deemed her worthy of a chance?

Letting the heavy sigh escape her again, Naomé began the depressing journey back to her house, her feet barely lifting off the ground as she trudged the beaten path with no drummer to guide her. She'd never felt so lonely until that moment in time, and she had a sinking feeling that this was what she was going to be feeling for the rest of her lonely, nonexistent life.

"Hey, Naomé!"

Naomé glanced over her shoulder, fearing that Rusty might be coming back for round two. Instead, it was only her best friend, Mira O'Reily, her backpack slung over her left shoulder, her clarinet case in the opposite hand. Whenever she was in the worst of moods, just the sight of the bubbly, happy-go-lucky Mira could brighten Naomé's outlook on her life. "Hey."

Mira stopped short in front of Naomé, forcing her friend to stop dead in her tracks. She narrowed her green eyes in suspicion. "Hey, hold on a second! You look depressed, Naomé. Lemme guess: Rusty and his thugs blasted you again."

"Wow, Mira, your powers of observation have made quite an improvement since you used them last," Naomé said sarcastically as she eyed Mira coldly. "Did you really have to look _that_ hard to see that they did?"

Her best friend sighed and shook her head. "Aw, come on, Naomé! I was only trying to have a little fun! Don't be such a party pooper!"

Naomé brushed Mira aside as she continued her journey home. "How can I be a party pooper when there's nothing to party about?" She retorted bitterly, adjusting her backpack as she walked along. "Really, Mira, there's nothing in my life that deserves that kind of _positive_ attention, so let's just forget about it, all right?"

Mira grabbed Naomé by the wrist. "I know what's bugging you, Naomé Windom! You're thinking about your Dad again, aren't you!" She continued although Naomé had whipped around and gave her the nastiest glower she could possibly muster. "You're wondering why he had to leave you, Naomé! That's why you're acting so strange!"

"It's nothing like that, Mira!" Naomé snapped, wrenching her wrist free. Actually, the truth was she _was_ thinking about her father, who'd died when she'd been nothing more than a child. She'd been in the middle of class when her father had passed away from a massive heart attack, causing her to lose everything she'd ever come to love about her life. Ever since his passing, Naomé had a feeling the World had turned its back on her, forcing her to carve out an existence on her own from a very young age. That'd been over fourteen years ago. And, at nineteen years old, Naomé felt there was very little time left for her to find a way to make the World see her for who she was inside.

The two friends stared hard at one another, stone-gray eyes locked on green. Finally, Naomé turned away and began to walk away from her friend. "Look, Mira, I've got to go home and get my homework done. Call me later tonight, all right?" She didn't even wait for an answer as she took off at a run, her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to check the tears that'd sprung to her eyes and blur her vision.

Mira sighed as heavily as Naomé was known for. _Poor Naomé,_ she thought, walking towards her house. _Ever since your Dad died, nothing's been the same for you. I only wish that you find happiness someday soon, Naomé. I know that it won't be much longer before you reach your breaking point. I don't want to see things end like that for you, my friend._

_Key Islands – Compass City – Northwest Pointe – Naomé's House_

Naomé was barely inside the door when her dog beset himself upon her. It took all of her strength to force her furry friend back so she could get into her own house.

"Back, back!" She barked over the explosive barking. "Sit, Orion!" Naomé grunted as she got caught between the door and the doorjamb. "Orion, _no!_ Back, Orion! _Orion, down!_" She finally managed to squeeze through the door and shut it behind her just in time to throw her hands up to ward off Orion's slobbery assault as he bodily threw himself upon his young mistress, delight to see her overpowering his power of reasoning.

Exhausted and smarting from the "attack" earlier that afternoon, the young woman waded through her dining room and towards the hallway that lead to her bedroom, Orion dancing intricate patterns around and through her legs, nearly tripping her more than once. It wasn't too hard to do that, considering that Naomé was six-foot-one, and most of it was nothing but her long, toned legs that were attuned to sports more than simple motions like walking.

Finally at peace in her own house, Naomé dumped her backpack to one side and dragged her pajamas into her bathroom to change out of her smelly school clothes that were covered with dirt from being bulled into the ground by Rusty. She was going to take a nice, lukewarm bath and see if that would help deaden the pain of her aching gut. Naomé's bathroom was a quiet, cozy little space that she'd made her own by making it look like what she thought to be an "Anime-style" bathroom: white walls, a tiled shower, "wicker" and "bamboo" shelves mounted on the walls and stocked with everything she could ever need. This was her "Zen room," a place where she could go and let everything wash away with the water down the drain at the end.

Just as she slid into the relaxing waters, Naomé's memory triggered. She'd better not stay in there too long…she had to go to work in a couple hours. _Oh, boy, what a night _this_ is going to be…my manager's supposed to be closing with me tonight, and everyone's said she hasn't been in a good mood recently because the closers haven't been closing very well…I'd better be prepared to take some major flak and an overhaul on my closing training. Of course, I've already had the worst day in my life, so there's not much worse it could get…_

A jingling of car keys being set upon the kitchen counter, along with Orion's barks of greeting, alerted Naomé that her mother was home from work. Ms. Windom worked two jobs to be able to support her two-member (three counting the dog) household, as well as provide emotional support in an attempt to keep her daughter's depressed spirits up. Both Naomé and Ms. Windom worked at Broadway Mall, Naomé the Assistant Manger at the mall's famous Spotlight Café, and her mother as a supervisor for the security guards.

"Hello, Mother," Naomé called down from the bathroom. "I'm upstairs taking a bath, otherwise I'd come down and hug you."

"All right, then, I'll come up there," Ms. Windom called back, taking the stairs two at a time. "And don't make a career out of your bath, sweetie. You have to work at Spotlight's tonight."

Naomé groaned and rolled her eyes. "I know, Mother. Veronica called me last night to remind me that I'm closing with her, Mike and David. It seems she's making the three of us her 'special' projects for the next couple of weeks."

Ms. Windom came in and sat on the side of the tub. "Well, isn't that good?"

"No!" Naomé growled.

"Why not?"

"Because it's not, that's why not! Veronica's overhauling the staff and retraining everyone! Apparently, a couple closers didn't do such a good job and bungled the closing, causing us to fail our health inspections last month. She isn't aware of who it is, so she's going through all of us one by one until she figures it out."

Ms. Windom seemed intrigued. "And what will happen when she finds them?"

Naomé snorted bubbles out of her nose as she chuckled darkly. "They're going to be shown the door, that's what. Veronica doesn't take slackers for employees." She slid a little lower into the water. "She also says she doesn't want people with bad attitudes around, either."

"I wouldn't either, if I were her," Her mother said, nodding in agreement. "When you go to work, you're there to work, not goof around or be depressed. If you want to goof off and mope around that much, then you don't need to be there. Simple as that."

"Thanks, Mother," Naomé growled, submerging herself up to her chin in bubbles and bathwater. "Do you realize you just called your own daughter a loser?" She glowered at her parent with the steeliest gaze she could, her face as expressionless as stone. "Boy, you must _really_ love me a lot."

Her mother smiled and kissed her on top of her wet hair. "I didn't call you a loser, Naomé. Besides, you know I love you dearly, Dreamer."

The childhood pet name brought a faint smile to Naomé's usually unmoving features. She looked into her mother's eyes again and sighed in despair. "I may be a Dreamer, but it seems none of my dreams want to come true for me. I still want someone that understands me…I still want an adventure…and I know both things are out there somewhere…"

"I know, Naomé. Don't give up."

"Yeah," The young woman replied sullenly. "Easier said than done."

Ms. Windom shook her head. "It's only as difficult as you make it to be, Naomé. Dreams may seem impossible to reach at times, but if you never give up, then someday you'll accomplish what you want."

Naomé snorted. "Yeah, right. This whole World doesn't care about people like myself, people who aren't…_normal_ by their standards. Half-breeds aren't supposed to have dreams, remember?"

"You shouldn't hold yourself to that, daughter," Her mother cautioned her. "You're Human like everybody else is, so why should you set yourself up for failure? Nobody else does that."

"Because none of those dumb fools are 'half-breeds' like I am! No matter what, Mother, I'm going to be called a 'half-breed' for the rest of my life! I'm lucky I've gotten as far as I have at Spotlight's! And I should really count my blessings: I'm probably going to be at that job for the rest of my life, too!"

Her mother stroked her cheek. "You don't know that. Nobody can ever predict the future, Naomé. Who knows? Maybe your dreams will come true somewhere down the road and you just don't know it yet." She gave Naomé a tender kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Dreamer. Better think seriously about getting out. You have to be to work soon."

"Don't remind me," Naomé grumbled. She reluctantly pulled her naked body out of the cooling waters and reached for her towel.

_Key Islands – Compass City – Broadway Mall – Spotlight Café_

Spotlight Café was always a noisy place on Friday nights, especially when any kind of a sports game was on. Tonight was football, and the place was packed to capacity and more with guests.

Naomé had allowed her mind to take a break from what'd happened earlier that day, instead focusing primarily on her job. Despite being a "half-breed," Naomé was a very accomplished waitress, a well-needed skill that showed itself especially well when she found out that she'd been assigned the busiest station in the restaurant.

"You're doing great tonight, Naomé," Veronica, the General Manager, told her at one point when the two crossed paths. "You don't have to worry about closing: I already know you weren't the one that botched that one closing. I'll handle Mike and David on my own."

"Thanks, Vi," Naomé replied enthusiastically. _Great! Maybe Mother and I can finally have a quiet mother-daughter night for a change! Things are looking up for me tonight!_

Tammy, the hostess for that evening, caught Naomé shortly afterwards. "Hey, Naomé, would you mind watching my station for a couple minutes? I need to take a quick bathroom break."

Naomé shrugged. "Sure. Why not?" Truth be told, she didn't mind being a hostess for a few minutes: she'd be able to seat guests and take a short break from running around like a chicken with her head cut off. She set her empty tray next to the podium and quickly glanced over the seating chart. Only half of her station was filled, and the rest of the restaurant was virtually packed! Where had all the other guests gone?

The sound of cars honking on the overpass outside brought her snapping back to reality. That kind of sound only occurred when the door was being opened! Picking herself up, Naomé immediately came to attention, her training from before automatically kicking in. "Good evening!"

The guest before Naomé was highly unusual. Normally at that time of night, there were large parties of five or more guests coming in, but tonight the young man before her was all by himself. She momentarily noted his spiky but swept back golden blonde hair and eerie crystal blue eyes before taking up a menu and seating the young gentleman at a table in her station.

"Hey, Naomé," Tammy said as she came back to her position. She grinned slyly and gave her a broad wink. "Who's Mister Congeniality?"

"What?" Naomé grunted. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, Mister Congeniality. The guy you just seated. Looks like a hottie."

Naomé shrugged. "Be hanged if I know. Besides, I don't have time to flirt." She shot Tammy a freezing stare. "And technically, neither do you. Back to your station."

Tammy rushed off to greet the college kids that'd just walked in the door.

Shaking her head, Naomé went over to the table the young man was seated at and began to take his order. "Hello. Thanks for waiting. My name's Naomé and I'll be taking care of you. So, what can I get for you this evening? Something to drink?"

The young man turned his gaze up towards hers. "Yeah. I'll take one of those strawberry lemonade drinks. Those look really good." He smiled shyly and averted his gaze, his embarrassment clearly evident. "I've never been here before, so I don't have any idea what's good and what's not. Any suggestions, Miss?"

Naomé felt her stomach drop into her shoes. A guest was being _nice_ to her? That kind of thing _never_ happened! Did this guy know he was talking to a _half-breed?_ She fought to keep her emotions in check as she assumed her casual, professional attitude.

"Well, let me think for a moment…when you've worked here for as long as I have, everything looks so good that it's impossible to pick out your favorite." She barely noticed the fact her guest was actually fighting back the urge to burst out laughing as she continued. "Well, perhaps something like…let me see…I know! What would be really good is our Asian Vegetable Salad with Teriyaki Grilled Shrimp. I think you'll like it."

Oddly enough, the young "gentleman" agreed with her, placing his order for the exact item she had suggested. Naomé couldn't help but think to herself that her guest was, unlike most of the guests she'd had in the past, rather pleasant and took the time to listen to her. It wasn't often, if ever, that someone deemed a "half-breed" was treated with equality and respect. _That_ was about as often as a flying pig: _never!_

"Naomé," Veronica said, meeting her halfway between the young man's table and the salad bar. "Tammy said you've got a nice young gentleman in your station." The tone of her voice sounded full of suspicion, but muddled with uncertainty. Naomé could tell Veronica didn't want to believe Tammy's words, but she still had to come over and make it look like she had to explain herself.

_Blast you, Tammy! See if I ever cover _your_ station again!_ Naomé thought in fury as she explained the situation. "I had been watching Tammy's station while she took a quick bathroom break. When my guest came in, I noticed all of the other stations were filled up, but I still had a few tables left. The one he's sitting at only had the one chair left, so I thought it perfectly logical to seat him right there."

Veronica nodded. "I figured as much. I knew you'd never do anything stupid."

"What did Tammy say?" Naomé asked.

"Well," Veronica said slowly, "She _said_ you were hitting on him."

Naomé couldn't believe her ears! "_What?_"

Her General Manager nodded again. "I figured Tammy was trying to get you in trouble again, so I just came over to 'ask' you what was going on. I don't have any problem with you serving our guests." She winked at Naomé. "But I do have agree with Tammy on one thing: you do have a very well-groomed young gentleman there. Almost makes me wonder what he's doing in a place like this."

"Search me," Naomé replied. "Oh, crap…I have to go place his order! _And_ I still need to take my break, _and_ my shift is almost over! Blasphemies!"

Veronica held out her hand. "Give me the ticket. I'm heading back that way, so I'll give it to David in the kitchen." She winked at Naomé again. "In fact, once you clock out, you can go ahead and go home. You've earned it for working those extra shifts all week. Don't worry about your hours: I'll put them into the computer so you have your full shift, without the break."

Naomé knew that she must've looked like an idiot with the blank stare on her face. "Wait a second…Veronica…is this your way of trying to tell me that I should _talk_ to this guy? You know it's against company policy to do that!"

"I know, but I also know you don't really have much of a choice tonight. It's not like there's an entire station of empty seats for you to pick out where you want to sit. I don't have any problem with you sitting with him. In fact, I think it's just fine." Veronica grinned, took the ticket out of Naomé's hand and walked with her in the direction of the kitchen. "Have a good night, Naomé. See you on Saturday."

"Uh…thanks, Vi," Naomé replied, heading to the time clock and punching out. "You have a good night, too. I think you're gonna need it."

Back at his table, Roxas Avalon could hardly believe what he had seen…or what he'd felt. He'd actually attempted to have a conversation with a _girl_, and he hadn't done _that_ in almost a decade! And what was more is that he felt like she was someone he could call a friend! It'd been a long time since he'd been able to feel that way about anybody!

However, he'd felt uncertain when he'd seen the older woman stopping his waitress and pulling her aside. The sight of _that_ had instantly made him feel terrible. _Did I do something to get her in trouble? I hope not! I would feel awful if I found out she ended up getting in trouble because she was trying to help me!_

But Roxas had also noticed that the other guests in his area were acting strangely towards Naomé. They, unlike himself, didn't treat her with the same kind of respect, if at all. _What is it that makes her so different from everybody else? Who could be that disrespectful to another Human being? It just doesn't make sense! What has that poor girl done to be treated so rudely? She doesn't seem to me like the kind of person that deserves such harsh treatment from others. She seemed happy when I was talking to her…maybe it's because no on else here appreciates a person the same way I do. All I know is that I could tell she felt somewhat relieved that someone had acknowledged her, as if my words had made her feel like she wasn't invisible anymore._

Sighing, Roxas sipped on his strawberry lemonade. _I wish that I had the courage to speak up and talk to her… Somehow, I just feel that I can make a difference in her life… even if it's only for a second…I just want her to feel like a person again…_

…_No one deserves to feel and be treated like a nobody…_

Nervously, Naomé came out from the bathroom, self-consciously tugging on her shirt in an attempt to keep it down and hide her nervousness. She could hardly believe she was going to try talking to a guy! She knew every time she tried talking to one, she got tongue-tied and made herself look like an idiot. Further, it only made the fact that she was a half-breed much more apparent.

"Hey there, Boss!" David greeted her, flipping a burger on the grill. He gave her a playful wink and a wry grin. "I didn't notice you were wearing those clothes this evening. You look sharp! Are those brand new?"

"Sort of, Davie," Naomé replied. David was like a big brother to her, and their relationship was that of very close family. They'd known each other since elementary school, and with good reason: David was also a half-breed, half English and half Chinese. In fact, David had started at Spotlight Café three months before Naomé did, and he was the one who'd recommended her to Veronica for being hired as the Assistant Manager!

David neatly tossed the burger onto a waiting bun on a plate close by, and began to pile on the fixings. "So, _little sister_, are you off?"

"No. Break."

"Break? You're taking your break _now?_ You've only got a half hour left, Naomé!"

Naomé placed her hands on her hips. "I _did,_ until Veronica let me go home early." She got closer to David as she walked to the door, leaning over and whispering in his ear. "Do your closing of the kitchen well tonight, _big brother,_ because Veronica's trying to find out who it was that bungled the closing the night before the health inspector came. I know it wasn't you, Davie, but you can't be too careful."

"I know," David replied, sliding the plate up onto the pick-up counter and ringing the bell. "Trust me, I know." He turned to her and grinned again. "So, I managed to catch you seating a nice-looking guy a little bit ago. What was it he ordered?"

"Asian Vegetable Salad with Teriyaki Grilled Shrimp."

David licked his lips. "_Mmmm!_ Sounds good!"

Naomé punched his shoulder. "What will make it even better is that I want you to cook one up for me for my break. I'm probably going to take whatever's left to Mother. She's working late tonight."

"Mom is working late again?" David asked while starting an order that Mike had just given him. He always called Naomé's mother "Mom," seeing as he didn't know his real mother. He knew where he'd come from, but he didn't know _her._ "Do you think she could give me a ride home? Dad left on a plane trip to St. Petersburg for an international business conference. He left the car at the airport, so I don't have any transportation."

"Dad did that to you?" Naomé gasped, smiling. "The nerve of him!" David and Naomé shared their parents with each other, making them both feel like they _were_ brother and sister. They both felt like they were one big, happy family, and, to half-breeds, feeling like you had a family was a good thing to have. "Yeah, I'll call Mother right now and see if she'll let me borrow the car. Thankfully, I don't have to go to school in the morning, so I can sleep in."

"Lucky," David snorted, plopping a pile of French fries into the fryer. "I have to open tomorrow!"

Naomé gaped. "You're opening again? Vi told you not to do that anymore!"

David wrinkled his nose in disgust. "She did, until Tammy said she had to go to a wedding. She didn't want you to do it, since you've been working double shifts all week, so I asked if I could do it instead. I wanted you to have a break." He looked her square in the eye, his dark brown gaze piercing with stubbornness. "You've worked hard enough, Naomé: it's time you start thinking about yourself for a change."

Making sure no one was watching, Naomé leaned over the corner of the table and kissed David on the cheek. "Thanks, big brother. I owe you one."

"Get outta here," David replied, chucking her under the chin. "I'll have your dinner ready in a few minutes. Go enjoy your _date._"

"Shut it," Naomé growled, narrowing her eyes in a false gesture of anger.

David laughed.

_Key Islands – Compass City – Broadway Mall – Main Concourse_

After that evening, Naomé slowly walked the corridors of Broadway Mall, thinking about the night she'd just had. First, she'd gotten off early, and that was amazing, but she hoped David didn't get the boot because Mike decided to get sloppy.

The second thing on her mind was the guest she'd had that evening. She'd managed to convince Veronica to let her sit with him, since there weren't many places to sit in the Spotlight Café because of it being busy.

Naomé's luck couldn't have been better. The young man, Roxas Avalon, had graciously allowed her to join him, even going so far as to pull out her chair for her! She couldn't believe she'd managed to stumble across someone that was as nice as she was!

David had been especially careful making their meals, even adding a few extra ingredients as a special favor to his "sister." Veronica had been especially gracious, ensuring they were well taken care of. Naomé had the satisfaction of seeing Tammy being forced to watch her from her station, glaring daggers at her in between seating guests. She had to admit to herself that she'd had one of the best nights in her life.

"Hey, Naomé!"

Startled, Naomé swirled on her heels. Roxas was following her! _What does he want with a half-breed? Did he figure out what I was? Oh, no! This doesn't look good for me!_

Roxas caught up to her, panting and almost out of breath. He looked at her from under his shaggy bangs. "I wanted to know if you'd like me to walk you home."

Despite the warnings of "stranger danger" Naomé had grown up with, she somehow had a feeling she could trust the young man in front of her. However, she knew her mother was going to give her (and David) a ride home. She hated to tell her young "suitor" she couldn't, but decided to let him at least walk with her. At least she wouldn't be alone in the mall.

Along the way to the security office, Naomé and Roxas had a friendly chat. Roxas told Naomé he hadn't come from a very rich family, but that he'd worked hard to carve out a place in the World, even if it was a small one. He realized the people of the Key Islands were usually treated unfairly, as most of them were exiled "half-breeds" that really didn't have any chance of proving themselves.

Despite her fears, Naomé nervously admitted that she was "descended" from a "half-breed." This way, she could protect herself. She didn't want to chase Roxas away because of her being a real, first-generation "half-breed." If she managed to do that, she'd never forgive herself!

When they finally came to the security office, Naomé found herself regretting the fact that she had to say good-bye to Roxas Avalon. For the first time in her life, she'd actually felt good about having someone for a friend, even if she'd fudged a little of her history to save face. Shyly, she told Roxas that she had to head in there, as her mother was waiting for her.

But, Roxas didn't seem upset. In fact, he seemed rather pleased that he'd managed to talk to her. Being the gentleman that he'd been all night, Roxas made a polite bow, took Naomé's hand, and kissed it in the old formal traditions. He smiled at her and said he hoped to meet her again. Unfortunately, he had to travel back to Tokyo in the morning, but he invited her to "look him up" if she was ever in the area. He told her that he would be more than pleased to have her company.

As Roxas walked away, Naomé felt like she was watching a ghost vanish. Slowly, she came to realize her heart was aching from the old feeling of loneliness that was starting to settle back in. Despite the pain, Naomé smiled happily as she opened the door to the security office, the sound of Roxas's fading footsteps echoing in the corridor.

_Three Weeks Later_

_Key Islands – Compass City – Northwest Pointe – Naomé's House_

Naomé trudged her way through the front door, using her backpack to keep Orion at bay. Exhausted, she tossed the backbreaking bag down on a chair and let loose with a call to the ceiling. "Mother! I'm home!"

Ms. Windom came from downstairs, dressed in her bathrobe and drinking a mug of steaming tea. Her dark brown hair, normally down, was wrapped in a towel and set atop her head. Today was Friday, and she usually had the weekends off. Unfortunately for Naomé, she still had to go to school and work at Spotlight's. "Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a good day at school today?"

"I passed my algebra exam," Naomé replied, pulling out her test paper and handing it over. "Oh, and I also turned in my English 101 research paper and took a chemistry lab test today."

"That's great, honey! Wow, a perfect score! Naomé, I'm so proud of you! You've really improved!"

Naomé couldn't help but beam at the praise. Math had never been her strongest subject, and it wasn't until recently that she'd been able to make heads or tails of anything mathematical. Perhaps one of her desires was coming true, after all!

Her mother paused for a moment, as though in deep thought. Suddenly, her features lit up as recall kicked in. "Oh, that's right! Naomé, something came in the mail for you today!"

The young woman was flabbergasted. "For me?"

"Yes. It's downstairs and on the dining room table. You'll recognize it easily. It's a big manila envelope stuffed to bursting with something in it…I'm guessing that it felt like papers."

_What? Papers? Who would send me an envelope stuffed with papers? I don't need any more papers! I've got too many already! Besides, I _never_ get any mail!_ Naomé thought as she clomped her way back down to the first floor and into the front hall. She halted in the doorway as she recognized the odd envelope she'd spotted when she'd come in a few minutes ago. _Well, I'll be danged! Mother was right! That envelope's stuffed! _

Orion padded next to Naomé, giant paws barely making any noise on the tile floor of the kitchen. He bumped the back of his head against her side, whining quietly for some affection. Realizing he was getting nowhere, he noted the object of his mistress's eye. Growling, he stalked the mysterious envelope on the dining room table, finally popping his head over the tabletop as quick as a striking snake and snatching the package.

Naomé snapped out of her trance with a sharp reprimand for her dog and solid cuff between the ears. "Orion! Bad dog! Give me that!" She snarled, snatching the parcel from her dog's tightly clenched fangs and batting him on the nose. "Bad Orion! Go lay down, boy!"

Sulkily, Orion marched to his bed in the corner of the living room and plopped down on it. Not to be outdone, the Siberian Wolfhound took a hold of the newspaper and snapped the rubber band with a nip of his teeth. Keeping his growling to a minimum, he tore the paper up and scattered the pieces all over the living room.

In the dining room, Naomé was inspecting the odd package. The envelope was nothing special; it was just a plain old manila envelope that was used for sending things like research projects, business letters and more. The postage on the other hand, was foreign in make…Japanese, perhaps.

Wait a minute…_Japanese?_

Naomé became a whirling dervish, frenziedly tearing at the clasp on the back of the envelope with her nails, which had been pinned in place with a piece of Scotch tape. "C'mon, you fiend…_open up!_ I've been waiting for you for three blasted months! It's about time you got here, you piece of crap!" When the package failed to yield, she ran to the kitchen and grabbed the scissors, hustling back to shred the tape.

The scissors did well, clipping off the seal and allowing Naomé to pop the tabs that kept the flap of the envelope in place and spill the contents of the package out onto the table. Frantically, the young woman tore through the papers, obviously seeking a particular object. Finally, she extricated a piece of expensive parchment paper from the copier paper and opened it. She saw the gold seal with royal blue ribbon at the bottom of the page next to a freshly penned signature, and she promptly began to read the letter:

_International Council of Japanese Animation_

_335 West Corporate Boulevard_

_Tokyo, Japan 05049-0258_

_ATTN: Key Islands Chapter_

_Miss Windom:_

_We are honored to inform you that your entry, "Luna Fantasma", has been given First Place in the 75th__ Annual ICoJA Artists & Authors Competition. Also, your accompanying story, "Curse of the Luna Fantasma", received Third Place, placing you as the third person in the competition's history to place in both areas of the event._

_Being First Place in the art section, you are awarded an all-expenses-paid, six days, seven nights trip to the ICoJA Anime Convention in Tokyo, where you will stay at the Imperial Crown Hotel, along with $10,000. Your Third Place victory in the writing area nets you $2,500. To claim your prizes, please sign __ALL__ paperwork and return it to the address above. You will then receive a letter along with your plane ticket and convention pass. Also, you will receive information regarding the ceremonial dinner in Tokyo, where you will be presented with the rest of your awards._

_Again, we congratulate you on your cumulative victory._

_Sincerely,_

_Ronin Matsuyo_

_President and CEO, International Council of Japanese Animation_

Naomé allowed the letter to drop from her numbed hands and flutter to the tabletop, too shocked to speak. Did the letter say she'd won First _and_ Third Place in _both competitions?_ No way! That could _not_ be possible! And yet there it was, black and white and right in front of her eyes. She continued to stare off into space for what seemed an eternity, completely unaware of the world around her.

Ms. Windom had made herself a bowl of cherry cordial ice cream. She peeked around the door and spotted her daughter standing with her back to her and staring intently at the table. She jammed the spoon up to its neck in the creamy frozen confection to loosen it up enough for her to eat it, all the while trying to get Naomé's attention. "Naomé…Naomé, sweetie, are you all right?"

All of a sudden, Naomé seemed to awaken from suspended animation. She blinked a few times, as though clearing her mind of its fogginess. When the realization of what'd just happened dawned on her, she threw her head back and let loose with the loudest whoop she could possibly make. "_Wahoo!_" She howled, pumping the air with a triumphant fist and a huge leap that nearly took her crashing into the lights over the table. "I _did it!_"

"Did _what?_" Her mother asked, suddenly finding herself and the ice cream caught up in the middle of her daughter's dizzying victory dance around the kitchen and dining room. "Naomé! What did you do? Are you listening to me? What are you talking about? _Naomé Meilin Windom!_"

"Yeah! I did it!" Naomé shouted, twirling in the air. "I won, I won, I won!"

"_Won what?_" Ms. Windom yelled, finally grabbing Naomé's arms and stopping her dead in her tracks. "Naomé, what did you do, and what have you won? Tell me!"

Naomé grinned. "Do you remember me telling you about that art and writing contest Mira E-Mailed me the information about several months ago?"

Her mother nodded. "Yes, I do. You spent a month working on your entries. You almost didn't meet the deadline to send them in." She suddenly tightened her grip on Naomé. "You won, Dreamer?"

"Yup!" Naomé giggled. "I did! I won! And guess what?"

"What?"

"I get to go to the Anime Convention in Tokyo, _and_ stayt for a week, _and_ I get ten grand for it!" The young woman allowed an almost insane grin to split her normally stern features. "Also, not only did I win in the art competition, I got Third Place in the writing competition, and _that_ gets me twenty-five-hundred!"

Ms. Windom was staggered. "No!"

Naomé nodded. "Yes! I finally get to see where Father grew up!"

"I'm so happy for you, Naomé! I'm so proud of you, Dreamer!" Her mother said, smothering her in a huge hug. "Your father would be so proud of you, too, Naomé," She whispered in her daughter's ear. "I bet you he had something to do with this."

"Yeah," Naomé replied, allowing her mother to hug her close. "I bet he did."

_Key Islands – Compass City – Gateway Overpass_

That afternoon, Naomé rode her way to work, motorcycle tearing up the asphalt as she journeyed across town to head to the Spotlight Café, mind working as furiously as the horsepower in her custom electric blue chrome package Yamaha ZFX-1500 was.

_I've won that competition,_ She thought, turning onto the freeway. She paused her thoughts to accelerate and check her onboard clock. _Hmmm…good. I still have an hour-and-a-half left. Maybe I can figure out what to pack…_

A Dodge truck swerved aside as Naomé tore past, nearly clipping her prized bike due to the driver's failure to signal their intent to change lanes. She ignored the irate driver and glided to the far left lane to go to the exit that would take her to work.

"Hmph. Road hog," She grunted, flicking her signal and gliding into the exit lane. She loved this part of her journey, as this road took her through a long, winding tunnel that dipped into what was the old subway, directing traffic all over the city. Nicknamed "Conductor Central," this area of the former underground railway system provided access to millions of commuters every day. Naomé called this place the "Tunnel of Dreams," as she'd learned of the belief that any wish made in the tunnel was guaranteed to come true.

Closing her eyes for but a moment, Naomé spoke aloud a special wish, one that'd been in her heart for years: "_I wish that I will find someone that will see me for who I am, a true friend that will always be by my side no matter what happens. All I want is to have the 'ultimate adventure,' and have someone to share it with."_

Naomé's eyes opened just as she exited the tunnel, wish lost in the noise of the traffic behind her.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Naomé Dives to Her Heart (Part One)

_One Month Later_

_Key Islands – Japan – Tokyo International Airport_

"Thank you for flying Tokyo International Airlines today. We have arrived at our destination of Tokyo International Airport in Tokyo, Japan. On behalf of both Captain and crew I thank you for flying with us and hope you enjoy the glorious Tokyo!"

_Thank the gods _that's_ over with,_ Naomé thought as she dug her luggage out of the overhead compartment as the stewardess began speaking in Japanese to those returning to their native homeland. _If that lady could go on forever, she most certainly would! Ah, well. I shouldn't let some crappy little thing like that ruin my vacation. After all, I'm here for an entire week! I sure hope that everything's checked out..._

Naomé had waited a full month after turning in the paperwork to claim her ticket and initial prize money from the writing contest. The winnings from the art contest would be given to her at the ceremonial dinner that she'd been told about. She couldn't wait to put on the splendid red-and-black silk kimono that she'd bought at the Anime Convention for the event! Originally manufactured in Japan and then brought to the USA for the special event, Naomé had wasted no time in purchasing the kimono and the rest of her favorite manga collection to complete the series. And she still had well over half of the prize money doing it! She couldn't wait to get the rest of it three nights from now!

Walking through the cabin and out of the plane, Naomé couldn't help but think that the last time anybody in her family had come here was when her mother had come to marry her father before they went back to the USA. Her mother had no idea that Naomé had taken a copy of the wedding photo with her during her trip in order to seek out the place where they'd made their vows so long ago. She couldn't help but wish to return to where her entire tragic life began.

_It's a good thing I studied Japanese so hard in high school,_ Naomé thought smugly as she made her way through the packed-to-bursting airport, bags giving her the appearance of a soldier returning home from war. She couldn't help but stare in awe at the beauty of the airport, right down to the crisscross of shining steel archways that held up the crystal clear glass roof of the main hall. Squinting from the sudden shaft of sunlight that blinded her, Naomé allowed the hydraulic doors to hiss open and grant her passage into the bustling streets of Tokyo, Japan.

_My father's World…_

_Key Islands – Japan - Old Tokyo - Alleyway_

The young man ran as fast as his feet could carry him, tattered sneakers slapping on the slick pavement. Behind him, his enemies pursued him, shouting and cursing at him as he evaded their every move in attempt to capture him, always staying a good three steps ahead of them and the danger they threatened to bring down on his head.

Blowing his shaggy dirty-blonde hair out of his eerie crystal blue eyes, the young man put on an agile burst of speed and dove to the left, a thrown missile barely screaming past his shoulder. He leapt over a trashcan and sent it rocketing back towards his enemies with a well-placed kick in the middle of it. Further cursing and shouting broke out as some of the gang members got knocked over by the unexpected obstacle, as well as the fact dawned on them that their quarry was too smart for them, and had once again evaded their grasp.

Now the boy ran faster, putting greater and greater distance between his ensnared foes and himself, his instincts guiding him down the abandoned streets of Old Tokyo and in the direction of his hideout. He knew that he would never be found there, for there were too many places for him to hide, and too many to search in one day. A faint smile of triumph spread across the young man's fair features as he vanished into the swirling mists of the downtown area…and on his way home…

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo - Imperial Crown Hotel and Resort_

"Thanks for the ride!" Naomé called over her shoulder to the cab driver, flicking a credit back through the window and into his hand. "And keep the change!"

The cab driver called back his thanks to her before heading back out into the busy streets of Tokyo. It wasn't long before the cab disappeared into the busy hustle and bustle of afternoon traffic, of the hundreds of people returning home from work and school.

Turning to regard her living quarters for the next week, Naomé could hardly imagine what in her fate had decreed she be so lucky. How _had_ she managed to win both contests? And furthermore, why did she have the feeling that there was far more in store for her than she'd ever thought possible? Shrugging, Naomé dragged her light luggage into the main hall of the Imperial Crown Hotel and Resort.

It had been no problem to gain access to her room. Apparently, the hotel had been given notice ahead of time that she was on her way, as a room had already been reserved for her. She thanked the desk clerk, took her key card, and strolled across the polished marble floors and into the elevator across the way. She entered the elevator car, pressed one of the elegantly designed buttons, and was finally able to catch sight of herself in the polished reflection of the doors as the slid noiselessly shut.

Inside the elevator, Naomé began to think. The night before, she'd had a strange dream that'd told her she was going back…_going back to where?_ As the dream had progressed, she'd seen faces she'd never known, and yet the dream had told her she knew every one like the back of her hand, that she'd always known these people. More than once, she'd heard the name "Naminé", although she wasn't certain if those who'd been speaking were talking to her or of someone else. A room of purest white was also hiding in there, filled with wide bay windows on an outer wall that were bordered by flowing translucent white curtains, with the view overlooking a beautiful town set in a golden sunset. A young boy with spiky golden brown hair and wielding a key-like weapon appeared, battling a variety of creatures she heard being called "Heartless." Another boy, one that looked similar to the key-wielding one except that his hair was a medium golden brown-blonde and his eyes a paler shade of blue, yet still crystalline in appearance, followed closely behind the "key warrior." Both said that they'd come to save her, the blonde-haired one coming forward and wrapping her in the warmest embrace she'd ever known, he also saying the strange name. She'd never felt so happy…

But then the dream became chaotic, landing her in a dark cell, waves upon waves of torture and pain beleaguering her. Men cloaked in darkness would come in and talk to her, the questions lost to her numbed mind. The pain would worsen, her body slowly succumbing to the effects of the torture and ever-closing night. Ultimately, her whole world went black, the dream always fading away into total darkness, her mind always fading out alone in the shadows, the final words coming from her mouth was the name of the boy that'd said he loved her and a similar response to his vows… "_I love you, Roxas…I love you…_"

A quiet _ding_ from the elevator brought Naomé out of her dreams, forcing her back to reality. She shook her head, restoring herself to normalcy as she headed down the hallway and to her room. Whatever that dream was, she wanted nothing to do with it…and furthermore, if it continued to bother her, she was going to continue ignore it. Dreams always leave if you pay no heed to them.

_Key Islands – Japan - Old Tokyo – Forgotten Subway_

The boy stumbled into the old subway station, evading his enemies as he left them bruised and broken out in what had once been the pathway to the main entrance. They'd threatened to "mess him up," and he knew he was strong enough to not let them do it. Furthermore, he'd actually carried out his desire, leaving his foes to nurse their wounds and injured pride. _Maybe _that_ will make them leave me alone!_

Taking a deep breath, the boy walked among the pillars that held up the giant ceiling overhead, touching each one as though greeting a beloved relative. For the past eight years, this abandoned station had been the only place he'd called home, although he knew he had another one…far, far away, in another universe altogether. It'd been there he'd learned how to fight, to fend for himself and those weaker than he, and it'd been in that other place he'd had friends, real, true friends, one of which had wielded the weapon that'd been entrusted to him. That weapon was the only thing that he had left of his old life, a life that'd ended with tragedy.

Walking down the stairs and to what had previously served as the ticket booth, the boy pulled open the dented steel security door and walked inside, allowing a sigh of contentment to pass his lips. This place…this is what had been his "room" ever since he arrived at the station, his true bedroom the former security room that was connected to the ticket booth, as it was even further protected by another steel security door and walls made of concrete bricks and steel rods.

Heading into the security room, the youth opened yet another door, leading to a stairwell that went up higher to the second level of the security office…the locker rooms. Sighing, he flopped back onto the two benches he'd lashed together with old rope on either ends to make a makeshift bed, folded up his jacket into a pillow, then laid back and stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't long before he was fast asleep, dreaming the horrible nightmare that'd haunted him for the last several years.

_Key Islands – Tokyo – Imperial Crown Hotel and Resort_

That night, Naomé felt more tired than usual. _I'm probably suffering from jet lag or some such crazy ailment that people complain of after they have a long flight._ But whatever was the case, she went to bed early, falling asleep almost instantly. She'd felt so tired that she hadn't even bothered to change out of her clothes. She just collapsed on the bed amidst the blankets and pillows and drifted off into an endless night…

_Unknown World – Station of Serenity_

Naomé suddenly snapped out of her sleep, discovering herself to be in a dark place. She bolted upright, staring out into the inky blackness from her place on a brightly colored mosaic floor of a twisted, corrupted castle, the only light coming from an unknown source onto the floor and spilling out in airy brilliance. Wherever she was, it was the creepiest place she'd ever been to.

"Where am I?" Naomé whispered, her voice echoing off into the dark. She rose, only to have the floor give way beneath her feet and send her tumbling into the depths of darkness. She tried to scream, but the sound died on her lips, as there was no air to give the sound any power. As she fell, she writhed and twisted about in the air, her shirt fluttering about her like the wings of a great bird as she clawed vainly at the darkness, fingers seeking a foothold to save herself from certain death.

A sudden gust of frozen wind flipped Naomé over in midair, turning her gaze towards what appeared to be a pool of frigid, black water down below her position, and she was heading right for it! Eyes wide in terror, Naomé could only manage to suck in a final gulp of air before she struck the water headfirst, knocking her into semi-consciousness as her body plummeted down into the oily blackness…with no chance to escape…

As she regained herself, Naomé could feel the icy chill of darkness all around her, her vision tinged a dark lake blue from frigid waters, her body submerged in liquid ice that grew colder with every passing second. Bubbles rushed up in clouds, no torrents, slowing her descent into the unknown by a few hundredths of a second, some even bubbling up as the air she was slowly exhaling. She knew that once she expended what precious little oxygen she'd managed to gain, she'd drown. Accepting this watery grave as her final fate, Naomé closed her eyes and ceased all struggling, conserving the last of her strength as best as possible. _Maybe dying won't be so bad, after all… it'll probably be a lot better than what I've had to live through…_

Just as she closed her eyes and prepared to drift into the eternal darkness of the afterlife, a brilliant flash of yellow-white light caused her to snap back into the land of the living dream. There wasn't supposed to be natural light at the bottom of the ocean…what was going on? She was thoroughly puzzled. _Wait a second…circular mosaic floors, towers with frigid black water, now light at the bottom of the sea! What sort of place _is_ this?_

The roar of water in her ears caused Naomé to become even further confused. It sounded like she was heading towards the surface, although she'd constantly felt like she'd been moving _down_, not _up!_ Was the gravity of this paranormal world changed, along with everything else? Where was she? She didn't have time to think of it anymore as she felt herself being launched out of the water like a cannonball and sent headlong into a wall, stunning her. But despite her ears ringing, Naomé had noticed that unlike most walls, she _wasn't_ sliding off this one. Instead, she was staying right where she was! _Gravity must be _really_ whacked in this place,_ She thought, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees. What she saw caused her to gasp in awe.

She was on another one of those mosaic floors, just like the one on the tower she'd fallen off of! Now that she was safe for the moment, Naomé stood and took a good, hard look at the floor. Interesting pieces of artwork always interested her, no matter what medium or material they were done in. Hell, they could be done in air for all she cared, and she'd still think they were beautiful.

Done in mosaic glass tiles that reflected the yellowish-light like gemstones, the scene depicted was indeed both beautiful and mystifying. A young boy probably a few years younger than her was leaning casually against a patterned circle, the outer edge done in a chevron design, the inner design with a number of circles with three-pronged crown insignias inside of them, finished off with a third and smaller circle depicting four people that she'd never seen before, two of them appearing to be anthropomorphic animals, and all set against the background of a beautiful ocean framed by a single palm tree, and all except for the boy done in multiple hues of turquoise blue.

But it was this boy that most attracted Naomé's attention. Clothed in red, black, white and blue, wearing gold-and-black sneakers and appearing to be sound asleep while standing upright, his image couldn't help but convey an overwhelming feeling of serenity, though in his left hand he wielded a large, key-like weapon at the ready, should something attempt to disturb him in his slumbers. His hair, a wild, shaggy golden brown, hung down in his eyes and stuck out in multiple directions, as though it hadn't been brushed.

Naomé knelt down to stare harder at the boy's face. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she'd seen this boy before, he and his friends, though she couldn't remember where…as she continued to study the boy, she failed to notice that three creatures, two silvery-white, the other jet black, were coming up from behind her, as though preparing to attack her.

Somehow, Naomé sensed the danger and, whirling, she came to face her mysterious foes. Her eyes widened in terror. She watched as the silvery-white beings strode towards her with graceful, almost fluid movements, like liquid mercury sliding on glass, while their inky companion hopped about, yellow eyes gleaming, and occasionally melting back into the floor and swimming around like a goldfish. These strange creatures were planning to attack her, and she had no means to defend herself! How was she ever going to escape them?

Suddenly, one of the whitish beings rose up into the air and began swimming about in the atmosphere, heading right towards her in an aerial homing attack that looked like nothing more than a piece of paper floating in the wind. Suddenly, it spun around in the air, still coming towards her.

Naomé didn't wait to find out what happened next. She dropped to the ground and slid on the smooth surface, dodging the mid-air kick that lashed out only a split-second later at what would've been head-height. She spun around and lunged back up, answering the attack with one of her own, sending both feet slamming into the creature's back, banishing the thing away towards the other side of the floor and crashing into a senseless heap.

What followed next was a blur in Naomé's memory as she danced and spun about on the floor, dodging and attacking the creatures with nothing but her instincts guiding her as she kicked, punched, head butted, elbowed and barreled her way into the things, scattering them every which way. At one point, she'd managed to grab a hold of the shadowy creature. Using it like an Olympian would use the hammer in the hammer throw, she began pummeling it into the white creatures like a flail before throwing it away and over the edge, the thing's unearthly hissing-like squealing doing little to shake her nerves as she continued fighting for her life.

As she ran about the floor, she constantly found her gaze staring down at the face of the boy on the floor, silently wishing he was there to help her fight. Despite how peaceful he looked, something told her he was a warrior in disguise. It was during one of those particular moments she fell to the ground to dodge another aerial kick that she found herself lying next to his head. She spoke aloud her thoughts as she kept her eyes peeled for another attack. "I wish I could be as at peace as you are, my sleeping friend. However," She grunted, rolling out of the way of a downward stab from one of the white beings, "I can't be, not when these animals keep attacking me! If only I had that weapon of yours, then I'd be able to decide the outcome of this match much sooner. In fact, if only I could have you here with that weapon, as the odds would be much more even. Oh, well. I guess I can dream, can't I?"

The stabs became more constant, preventing Naomé from rising to her feet. Some of them came within inches of striking her, narrowly missing because of her substantially honed reflexes that allowed her to dodge at lightning speed. Finally, out of pure rage and fear, she rolled up onto her shoulder blades and neck, tucking her knees into her chest. With a furious yell, she rocketed forward and brought both feet flashing out like a single piston shot, firing into the chest of her attackers and blasting them both away from her like debris from the focal point of an explosion, the power of her attack allowing her to jump to her feet in a crouching position.

But this didn't deter the things, as they came swimming back for another try. Much to her dismay, the shadowy being also decided to return, this time bringing another one like it along for the ride. The four creatures advanced on Naomé Windom, forcing her back until she felt the back of her feet dangle over the edge of the floor. Fear rushing adrenaline into her veins with searing heat, Naomé crouched, preparing to spring over her attackers and make a break for it, when the thunderbolt struck.

"Get away from that girl, you creepy little beasts! Begone!"

Puzzled at the sound of the loud voice, Naomé glanced up into the inky-black darkness. _Who's there…? Is that someone who's trying to help me? Why would anybody want to help a half-breed like me? I mean, I'm hardly worth defending…even for myself…_

From out of nowhere, the flash of silvery steel and bright colors came like a bolt out of the blue, along with a shout of raging fury. Naomé could only watch in fascination as the warrior went on the attack. This mysterious hero seemed fearless in the face of the creatures, hacking, slashing, spinning and lunging all at once, easily dispatching the four beings in puffs of grayish smoke, leaving Naomé and her rescuer alone on the floor.

Naomé finally found her voice, her gratitude coming out in a breathless rush as she was desperately swallowing air into her burning lungs. "Phew! Thanks a lot! I really needed some serious help back there!" She looked up from her position to see the sentinel standing a few feet away from her.

Her savior turned around to face her, flashing her a playful, crooked smile, their bright ocean blue eyes shining off the key-like weapon in their hand. Their voice was that of a young boy's, slightly squeaky but with a hint of the maturity they were just beginning to grow into. "You're welcome."

Suddenly, Naomé gasped. She recognized who her hero was! She glanced down at the floor and then back up at the young warrior, realizing almost instantly that the image and the person were one and the same! Somehow, her wish had come true! The boy from the tile floor had come to fight alongside her! She tried to stand, but only managed to come up halfway before dropping back to one knee, utterly exhausted. She looked up at the boy again, gray eyes locking on blue as she asked her question. "Who are you?"

The boy ran his fingers through his unkempt hair with a casual air, the smile still on his face. "Oh, you can call me Sora. My full name's Sora Kasasagi, but I just prefer Sora. It's a lot easier to remember." But then he looked down at her, concern that would normally be of one far beyond his age alighting on his boyish features. "You were really moving back there! You did pretty good against those Nobodies and Heartless, considering the fact that you don't have a Keyblade." Sora laughed. "I wish I could fight as good as you. If I could, then I wouldn't need this Keyblade of mine to face the Heartless and Nobodies anymore, now would I?"

"Uh…" Naomé found herself lost for words. _Nobodies? Heartless? Keyblade? What is this guy talking about?_ She decided to try to get up again, but this time found the boy's gloved hand extended towards her in a friendly gesture. She took it, finally having the balance to stand up. "Um…thank you, Sora," She said, clumsily speaking his name. But then, she recovered herself, introducing herself to him. "My name's Naomé Windom. You can call me Naomé."

"Hi, Naomé!" Sora replied cheerfully, swinging his "Keyblade" over his shoulder with a jovial, casual air. "Are you lost? You look like you might be lost. Need some help?"

Naomé nodded. "Lost" was the best way that she could possibly put her current state. _I don't know where I am, but I have the strangest feeling that I'm going to find out…it looks to me that "Sora" knows his way around here…maybe he can tell me what I'm doing here…_

Sora shrugged, teasingly reaching up and punching her shoulder like he would do to an old friend. "Aw, don't worry about it. I'll help you out. Just stick by me and everything will be just fine. Come on, I think I see a door up ahead."

"A door?" Naomé asked in bewilderment. _Wait a sec…there wasn't a door when I got here!_

"Yeah, right over there!" Sora said, pointing across the tile floor. Somehow, a freestanding door had popped up without their knowing it, a lavender-colored entryway waiting to be entered and have the contents it contained on the other side explored.

_How did _that_ get there?_ Naomé thought, her heart stopping in her chest. She eyed the door suspiciously. From what she could see, there was no visible hallway behind it, and to her that immediately led her to assume that it was meant to be a trap of some kind. She told Sora of her doubts, but he just waved them off with a twittering laugh, gently took her by the wrist and led her (or more or less dragged her) through the door into the light on the other side, with her complaining every forced step of the way.

The light was so bright that Naomé had to shield her eyes from the brilliant shimmer. She tripped over her own feet as she felt her toes smack into what felt like a staircase. Looking up to Sora, she saw him towering over her on a set of ethereal stairs, grinning encouragingly back at her. "C'mon, Naomé! This-a-way!"

Grumbling and rubbing her sore toes through her shoes, Naomé stumbled clumsily after her new friend, hobbling on her heels until she got the feeling back into her legs and feet and thus finally allowing her to sprint up the stairs. She easily caught up to and outran Sora, who goggled in astonishment at her as she met him at the landing before another set of lavender doors. This time the grin was on _her_ face. "Hurry up, slowpoke!" She laughed. "I haven't got all day, you know! Sheesh! Some guide _you_ are! You should know the way, and yet _I'm_ the one that seems to be leading _you!_"

Sora laughed breathlessly as he met her at the top of the stairs, shaking his finger at her in an admonishing gesture. "Hey, now! That's no way to treat someone you just met! You're as bad as my friend Riku!" He gasped, faking a frosty glower up at her through his hair, causing her to chuckle at him. He stood back up, gave a showy yet deft twirl of his Keyblade and brought it back to rest on his shoulders once more. Naomé was shocked to discover that a slight scowl had appeared on Sora's face, making him look fierce. "Well, little Miss Smarty Pants, if you're so smart, then why don't _you_ open that door and walk in it ahead of me, eh? _Then_ we'll see who's smarter!"

Naomé gave a deep, mocking bow and motioned towards the door with an overdramatic sweep of her hand. "Pray, would you do us the honor of opening yonder door, Master Sora?" She teased, ducking smartly as Sora tried to cuff her ear, instead only brushing the top of her hair. "Hey! I was only kidding!"

Sora shook his head, pushing the door open with a single hand. He walked through into the light, calling back over his shoulder and the Keyblade, the smile returning to his features as he spoke. "Hurry up, Naomé! Kingdom Hearts is waiting for you! C'mon!"

_Kingdom Hearts?_ Naomé wondered. _Is that where Sora's taking me…or is that where I am?_ She took a deep breath, steeled her nerves against the thought of plummeting to her death, and stepped further into the light and onto the steps. She called out to Sora to wait for her, and then…

"Not _you_ again! How many times do I have to kill you, you monster? I know that misery loves company, but this is getting _ridiculous!_"

_What is Sora talking about? How many times does he have to kill what?_ Naomé thought as she burst into the chamber that Sora had entered. She skidded to a halt several feet behind her guide and gasped in horror at the terrifyingly awesome spectacle that towered over her. However, she suddenly realized a strange phenomenon, one she'd never dreamed possible in her wildest of dreams: she didn't see what Sora was talking about! There was nothing there!

_Wait a minute…there's nothing there! I can't see anything! All I can see are two eerie glowing orbs up high above me! What does Sora see in the darkness?_

Suddenly, Sora swung out with the Keyblade and struck a mysterious shadowy hand that'd tried to come down and squash him flat. The image rippled as the Keyblade struck it, and a strange blue-black substance oozed from the slash into the ethereal appendage.

Naomé could hardly believe her eyes at the sight. _An apparition?_ Bleed?_ Impossible! Ghosts don't bleed…unless…_ She felt her heart suddenly begin to race in terror. _Unless that's _not_ a ghost! That thing's _real! _Sora's facing a real, living, breathing shadow! How does something like that exist? I guess anything's possible in Kingdom Hearts…I just wish I knew exactly "where" Kingdom Hearts is…_

Sora was dodging the creature's attacks with amazing speed, whipping back and forth through the smoky mists to strike at the air before him. Occasionally, Naomé heard the invisible creature hiss or snarl from a sharp blow, but it otherwise spoke not a word or made a sound. It seemed to her that this thing really didn't have any concept of time, space or sensations, as it appeared to merely float in the murky atmosphere.

The young warrior noticed that Naomé was still behind him. He called out encouragingly to her. "C'mon, Naomé! Get in here and help me beat this thing!"

"I…I can't!" Naomé stammered. "I…I don't have any powers like you do, Sora! I'm powerless against that thing! I don't know how to help you stop it! I'm useless to you, Sora! I can't be of any help because I have nothing to help you with!"

"Then try this!" Sora replied, flinging something back in her direction. The object skidded along the tiled floor until it stopped before Naomé's feet. "I bet that would help you out! Give it a try!"

Naomé found herself staring at it in disbelief. What Sora had flung her way was a sword-like weapon, obviously not the Keyblade but similar in the concept. She recognized it instantly. _This is a sword…I wonder what I can do with this? Well, I guess I'll just have to do what Sora told me…try!_

The young woman hefted the weapon and charged towards the shadow beast, the weight of the weapon hardly slowing her down. Giving an almighty yell of defiance, she swung the sword with all her might and hit the shadowy creature before her with a solid strike that nearly sent the weapon flying out of her grasp. She ducked as the creature tried to take a swipe at her, the force of the wind from its attempt sending her skidding backwards towards the opposite end of the tower floor.

_KRANG!_ The sword struck something metallic, the reverberations shooting up Naomé's sword arm and into her shoulder blades, making her wince in pain. She reached out and got a hold of a shield that'd mysteriously appeared from out of nowhere and had flipped over from her hitting it. It didn't take her very long to realize that she now had some way to defend herself from any attacks that dodging could help her evade, and she immediately armed herself with the shield by bracing it against her left forearm. The shield was heavy…it was made from solid steel, just like the sword!

"Hey!" Sora said when he saw the shield in Naomé's hand. His eyes went wide in shock as he pointed at her new form of defense. "Where'd you get that, Naomé?"

"Search me," She replied. "It just popped up from out of nowhere, I guess…all I know is that the sword hit it when that thing knocked me backwards. I'm not complaining…I could use it…badly!"

Sora laughed. "Hey, now! You're not _that_ bad, Naomé! You just need some practice, that's all! And there's no better time than the present! C'mon!"

Naomé hesitated, and then howled with laughter as she took the sword to the creature's hand. She raised the shield and dropped to one knee to protect herself as the thing tried to hit her with a wave made of shadows, the magical attack going harmlessly around her as the shield deflected the attack. Leaping to her feet, she took another swipe with the sword, chopping one of the shadowy fingers off from the same hand and having it disappear in a puff of smoke.

"Good hit!" Sora encouraged her. "Try that again!"

The young woman promptly obliged, this time stabbing out with the sword from behind the shield. The trick worked…she'd managed to thrust the blade straight into the palm of the shadowy flesh of the creature that was threatening to envelop her in chilling darkness.

Suddenly, the thing sunk down so that its head was level with the edge of the tower. It belched forth a cloud of smoke like a fabled dragon would, the tower floor becoming flooded with Shadows. The tiny creatures slid down along the floor like inky puddles, while others hopped around in search of their supposed enemy.

"Naomé!" Sora said. "Handle the Shadows! I'll take care of this thing myself!"

"Okay!" Naomé replied, her confidence starting to return to her. She waded into the Shadows, sword flashing and shield bashing at her foes. Several of them tried to pile on top of her and drag her to the ground, but a burst of supernatural strength would overcome her and cause her to explode back into view with a mighty roar, sending the Heartless scattering back and away from her as she started the whole process over again. She hardly made a sound as she struggled to keep her enemies away from her, many of them being flung off the sides of the tower and into the inky blackness far below, hissing screams of dismay echoing in her ear like a room full of snakes.

Sora was otherwise trying to handle the master of the Shadows that Naomé was facing. Beating his way through the weak Heartless, he made his way to the shadowy creature and began trying to hit out at it, the thing responding with various attacks, including smashing its hand into the floor and creating a shockwave that sent ripples through the tower floor. But Sora had obviously faced this thing many times before, and he expected the waves like he would expect them from splashing into a pool, and he merely rode the waves out and charged through the crests and troughs, finally drawing close to his foe and swinging out in vicious retaliation.

Then, suddenly, the Shadows vanished from sight, leaving Naomé free to help Sora. Both young warriors took sword and Keyblade to the creature, finally making it drop to its "knees" as it began to fall to their combined might. The thrill of upcoming victory made Sora Kasasagi and Naomé Windom virtually berserk with adrenaline, their weapons whirling about in lightning-like flashes of power and cutting deeper and deeper into the body of their shared enemy with every passing moment.

Sora let out a thunderous bellow of power that seemed to come from someone ten times his size instead of himself, taking to the air in a mighty leap and bringing the Keyblade crashing into the area where the shadow monster's heart would've been. He managed to lose altitude just in time to avoid a bath in the creature's oily blue-black lifeblood, the inky goo running down its body as it collapsed to the ground, its power finally spent.

Naomé found herself staring in horror at the dimming eyes, the final blast of rancid, chilling breath making her recoil in horror at the awesome sight of the thing's face, which was a thousand times the size of hers. Slowly, the creature's body disintegrated into a billowing smoke, vanishing from sight with a final hiss from its last breath echoing like a distant rumble of thunder in the shadows.

The battle hard hardly seemed to rob Sora of his stamina, as he stood before Naomé, eyes staring off into the distant shadowy environment, breathing lightly in triumph. Giving the Keyblade a final, deft twirl around his wrist, he slung it back over his shoulder and stood there in silence, his back turned to his ally as he seemed to lose interest in the world around him.

_Sora seems depressed,_ Naomé thought. _That look on his face…it's as if he's been defeated in spite of the fact that he's just gained victory…I wonder what's the matter? He seemed so…innocent a little while ago…what could possibly be bothering him so greatly that he would change so drastically?_

All of a sudden, Sora spoke, glancing back over his shoulder at Naomé. "You should go, Naomé, before anything else tries to come after us. You did a good job…you should be proud of yourself…" He sighed heavily. "You're definitely a warrior…I wish I could get to know you better. However, I think it's best that you don't come back here. You could, but I don't think it would be safe. Who knows what else lurks here in the darkness? I've been here for quite a while, but I'm willing to bet my life on the possibility of still being thousands of hidden dangers that even I haven't discovered yet in this place. I wouldn't want to see anybody else get hurt because of my inability to know what I'm facing."

Naomé heard a sudden tone of maturity ring in Sora's voice. He hadn't sounded like that when she'd met him a few minutes ago! What was going on? What was happening to him?

Sora turned ever so slightly. "You're still here?" He asked, his expression alighting with mild surprise. "I thought you'd left already."

"I am leaving," Naomé said softly. "I just…I just wanted to say good-bye to you, Sora."

"You did?"

"Yes. That and to thank you."

"Why?"

"Because you helped me realize a part of me that I never knew existed." She held forth the sword and shield, the blade resting at an angle behind the shield. She didn't even seem to flinch as weapon and protection magically vanished from her grasp. "I never knew I had it in me to be a champion. I guess I'm stronger than I thought." Smiling sadly, Naomé turned away. "Good-bye, Sora Kasasagi…it was nice to meet you."

Sora heard Naomé's steps start to fade. He continued to stare off into the darkness until his heart abruptly compelled him to act. Suddenly, he called out to her. "Naomé!"

Pausing, Naomé turned around. Sora had shifted his Keyblade from his right hand to his left and extended his now free hand to her in a grateful gesture. "Good-bye, Naomé Windom…it was nice to meet you, too…I know I said it wasn't safe for you to come back, but…it would be nice to see you again…you can come back…just not right away, okay?"

Naomé found herself taking Sora's hand and giving it a firm shake. "All right, Sora. I'll come back someday. I promise. Take care of yourself, all right?"

"I will. You too. You'd better get going."

"Right. See you around."

Sora watched as Naomé walked away and vanished into the darkness, her spirit leaving the land of dreams. He gave the shadows a flicker of a smile. "Yeah…see you around…good-bye, Naomé…"

Then, shouldering the Keyblade again, he strode off in the opposite direction Naomé had taken, his footsteps echoing into the eternal gloom as he also disappeared from the single spotlight that shone like a beacon of hope.

_I guess I'm alone again…at least I had a friend…for a little while, anyway…_

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Imperial Crown Hotel and Resort_

Daylight flooded Naomé's hotel room, waking her from her dreams. She sat upright, looking out the window towards the glorious Tokyo skyline and the world waiting outside for her, almost like a child waiting for his or her best friend to come out and play.

Groaning, Naomé crawled out of bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. _What _was_ that? Could that have really happened to me?_ Drowsy, Naomé Windom shook her head, banishing what'd happened that night from her mind. "It was only a dream," She reminded herself. "Only a dream…"


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Naomé Dives to Her Heart (Part Two)

_Key Islands - Japan - Tokyo - Imperial Crown Hotel and Resort_

All day long, Naomé thought about her strange dream from the previous night, her mind unable to let it rest. The events of the vision haunted her every step, causing her to keep her instincts on high alert and find herself constantly looking over her shoulder should the…Heartless and Nobodies, were they called…? try to attack her again. She would be a literal sitting duck, seeing as she didn't have Sora and the Keyblade to protect her…

_Sora…_the boy's name echoed in her mind, stirring up a mixture of emotions. His face…she could've sworn she'd seen his face long before she'd ever seen it on the tile floor in the mysterious dream, or even when she met him there, a spectral guardian that'd defended her from a dream that'd turned into a horrifying nightmare…

_But it wasn't a dream…it was _real_…_

As night closed in, Naomé couldn't help but find herself wondering if she'd ever dream that dream again. She could see the Nobodies and Heartless, feel the power of the power she'd unleashed in her struggle for survival, smell her fear, feel her heart beating wildly in her ears, taste the danger in that lifeless air. Sora swam back into her memory, Keyblade flashing, every stroke perfect and without hesitation. He looked like he'd belonged there in modern times with her, not in some shadowy, haunted chamber, battling Heartless and Nobodies day and night.

_Maybe…just maybe…I should go see him again,_ Naomé thought as she prepared to go to bed. She didn't understand the feeling of longing that rumbled within her chest, as though she were missing a dear friend, not someone that'd "saved" her "life" from phantom foes in a silly dream. Had Sora touched something within her heart, something that she'd never known was there in the first place? Did he, like the Keyblade, possess the power to change people's hearts? Was "Kingdom Hearts" in fact her _own_ heart, longing for her to understand it and all within it?

Naomé crawled into bed, allowing weariness from her long day envelop her. As she stared up at the ceiling, she made a resolute decision. _If I want to know what "Kingdom Hearts" is, then I'd better get back to that strange place and find Sora. Maybe he can sort this mess out…and maybe then I can move on with my life…_

Exhausted, Naomé flopped back into her pillows, her eyelids slowly closing as she dozed off into dreamland, finally allowing the day's events to settle.

_Unknown World – Station of Serenity_

_I'm back there again…_ Naomé thought as she woke to find herself sitting on a similar platform, this one with everything that was turquoise blue now a deeper, more purplish hue. Sora's image, however, was still multi-colored, except…

_Wait a minute!_ Naomé flipped over onto her hands and knees and thrust herself up into a standing position, She backed away towards where Sora's body was facing, back behind her to where the silhouette of the palm tree was framing the calm sea background. Her eyes widened in shock. Sora's picture had changed!

It was as if Sora had awakened from his slumbers, changed his clothes, and then went back to sleep. Only his shirt remained red, unlike before, when both shorts and shirt were red, his vest was now all black with metal shoulder pads like knights wore on both shoulders. His gloves, now black and gray, contrasted sharply with the Keyblade, still held in his left hand. Sora's image was taller, and he looked older than before. His hair had darkened slightly, but he was otherwise the same old Sora from before. His sneakers now had more black on them, and they matched perfectly with his smart black-and-gray shorts, accented on the sides with large red pockets and held up by a wide navy blue belt.

Naomé cocked her head towards one side, puzzled as to the mural's new appearance. This wasn't what the floor had looked like when she'd been there the other night! Why had everything changed? Had Sora left, and this was his way of telling her that he was gone? There was only one way to find out. Naomé threw her head back to the shadows above and called out to the darkness. "Sora! Where are you? It's me, Naomé!"

Suddenly, a voice came out of the inky dark, one that caused every hair on Naomé's neck to stand on end. It spoke her name aloud to her backside, as though shocked to see her. She listened to it as it repeated her name to her, this time the owner sounding more certain of themselves.

"Naomé?"

Whirling, Naomé found herself face-to-face with a young man almost her age, dressed in the same way as Sora's image was below her feet. She spoke carefully, watching for any signs of attack. Could this have been the one that'd unleashed those Heartless and Nobodies on her the night before, causing Sora to save her? "Do I know you?"

Crestfallen, the young man gave her a despairing look. "It's me, Naomé! It's Sora!"

The young woman laughed in his face. "Oho! It's Sora, is it? How am I supposed to know that you're telling the truth, hm?"

"I saved you from the Heartless and the Nobodies a little while ago! Doesn't that mean anything to you? I saved you with my own Keyblade!"

Naomé thought quickly. She had a feeling that this was indeed Sora, but she wanted to make doubly sure. There had to be something that he didn't remember from the night before…that was it! "Well, _Sora_, if it is you, then what is my middle name?" She stood back with her arms folded across her chest. _This one oughta get him…_

"You never told me your middle name," The teenaged boy replied, scowling in much the same way Sora had done the night before when Naomé had told him that she'd had her doubts about the mysterious door, the one that she'd entered just before she'd helped him face that strange conjuration of evil shadows "The last time I saw you, you helped me defeat the Darkside. Then, when the thing was gone, you and I said good-bye…I told you that you could come back, but that I didn't want you to come back too soon. You promised you would, and then you left and went back to wherever it was that you came from."

Naomé felt her brain stop dead in its tracks. It _was_ him! She laughed. "Sora…it _is_ you!"

Sora spread his arms wide, giving Naomé an absolutely ridiculous face. "_No, duh!_ Naomé, do you honestly think that I wasn't here?" He acted hurt, showing Naomé an expression that clearly revealed how upset he was that she'd doubted him.

"Hey! You weren't right here when I got here, so I had no choice _but_ to think you weren't around!" Naomé snapped. But then, she eyed him closely. His voice was different than before… "You've grown up, haven't you? You look older…"

"Doesn't everything?" Sora snorted. "I mean, come on! Do you know of anything that stays the same? No! No matter where you look, you're always going to find things that grows and change with the passing of time! Hell, even your own _heart_ changes!"

Naomé felt a gear suddenly _click_ into place in her mind. _That reminds me…_ "Sora, what is Kingdom Hearts?"

"Huh?"

"The last time I was here, you told me that 'Kingdom Hearts' was waiting for me."

"Right."

"So, where is it?"

Sora chuckled. He stepped back and spread his arms again, head turned to the above. "You're in it, Naomé! Or, should I say, the _entrance_ to it. You see, Kingdom Hearts will let anybody in, but it tests their heart first…sort of like the way a security system provides security for what it's meant to protect."

Nodding, Naomé realized that she hadn't quite phrased her questions the way she'd wanted them to be. She looked steadily at Sora, carefully phrasing her next query. "All right, then. So, what _exactly is_ Kingdom Hearts? Is it something that I have yet know nothing about?"

"No," Sora replied. "Kingdom Hearts is actually an entire _universe_, filled with its own unique and individual Worlds. Each of these Worlds possesses its own 'Heart,' the very key to that World's survival. When I got there, Kingdom Hearts was being threatened by the Heartless, creatures comprised of the Darkness in people's hearts. Since then, it's been my duty to protect Kingdom Hearts from the Heartless, as well as any other enemies that try to destroy the Hearts of the Worlds."

Naomé was puzzled. "But why?"

Sora held out the Keyblade before him, face stern and grim with solemnity as he spoke forth the following words like an oath: "Because I am the Keybearer, Master of the Keyblade, Hero of the Hearts, Keeper of the Key, and it is my destiny to defend Kingdom Hearts from the forces of evil." He looked up to her, determination and raw power etched into his features. "You see, Naomé, that _would_ be my true destiny, but…I can't complete my task."

"Why?" Naomé asked the question before she even knew that it'd popped into her mind.

"Something's caused me to be unable to perform my task. I know I was put into an enchanted sleep, so I'm stuck here in this dream world until either the spell wears off or someone breaks it. It sucks, because I know I exist. But out there…I'm probably nothing more than just a faded memory, another face of no importance. Out there, I'm most likely all but forgotten. It's although I've fallen off the face of the earth. I'm…well…I'm a nobody…"

Naomé suddenly felt very sorry for Sora. She sighed, then related her own sad tale, voice full of bitter hatred. "At least you were a glorified hero, Sora. In fact, I wish that I even had one-tenth of what you've got right now. You see, I've lived all of my life being nothing more than a nobody. I guess that it was _my_ destiny to be nonexistent. Sometimes, it seems as if only my mother can see me, that to others I'm a shadow or a ghost. I've never been thought of as anything more, because of what I am. Where I'm from, people judge others by their heritage, not by their hearts. And unfortunately, I'm of mixed heritage, so that makes me somewhat of a freak in the eyes of others, and that pretty much forces me into nonexistence. I'm a 'mistake'…something never meant to live in the first place, and the whole world's just waiting for me to die so they don't have to acknowledge my presence anymore. To the world, I'm not human…I'm an alien…and, like you said, a nobody."

After she was done, Sora shook his head. "Damn…that must suck. I don't think that I could ever live my life being ignored because of what I am. No wonder you were so pleased to see me. I must be the only person outside of your family to show you kindness."

Naomé's laugh was hollow. "Please! My mother's the only family that loves me! The rest think I don't even exist! My mother and I are basically the only family we've got!" She came closer to Sora, suddenly appearing lonelier and sadder than ever. "But you're right, Sora. You are pretty much the only person that's ever shown any signs of kindness towards me, since my best friend just moved away. Until she'd left, I'd had one friend. But now…it's only me."

Sora nodded. "I understand how that feels. It sucks to be lonely." But then he smiled that dazzling smile that he'd given Naomé when they'd first met. "But then I went to Kingdom Hearts, and I found a lot more friends! Who knows? Maybe Kingdom Hearts has friends waiting for you, too! You've already found one!" Suddenly, he turned away, as though lost in deep thought. He appeared to be oblivious to the world around him, including Naomé.

Confused, Naomé touched Sora on the shoulder. "Hey, what's up? You're quiet."

After a lengthy pause, Sora spoke, posing to Naomé a question that completely caught her off guard. "Tell me something, Naomé… what is that you hate more than anything in the world? What do you hate so much that you would anything, anything at all, to put an end to it?"

Naomé found herself looking deep into the deepest recesses of her mind, as though Sora had asked her a life-or-death question. What _did_ she hate more than anything? Her half-blood heritage? Her mother and father? The world? There were too many things to decide upon. She dug deeper, finally discovering something that'd needled her for most of her life, something that made her hate her heritage even more than ever.

"I hate it the most when people use others as scapegoats to cover for their mistakes. It's a very cowardly action, and one thing I hate worse than a coward is a coward _and_ a liar. I've been used as a scapegoat many times in my life, my heritage causing me to be the most '_convenient_' tool available. I've always been dumped on with accusations that no one takes the time to research the real cause into. Myself and other half-bloods like me have to deal with this many times a day in our already cursed lives, and frankly it just makes me sick. If I could do away with it, I would, for there should be no reason that someone is turned away just because his or her blood doesn't match everybody else's. Everyone should be treated the same."

Sora felt a blast of shock course through his veins. He turned around to face Naomé again, his eyes wide in surprise. "Naomé, would you say that being a scapegoat is a form of injustice?"

"Injustice?" Naomé echoed the word with a guttural growl entering her voice. "I think that it's just plain wrong, no matter what you call it! People shouldn't treat others the way that I've seen them treat those who are like me! Everyone's different, so why is it that I and so many others in the world are treated like we don't belong anywhere? I don't care what word you use, it's just not fair, dammit!"

Grinning, Sora inwardly felt his spirits lift. _Here's someone that can help me! Naomé's heart believes in the same things mine does! I learned long ago I couldn't tolerate injustice in the world, and here's someone who believes it as devoutly as I ever have, and maybe even more so!_

He pushed his thoughts into the back of his mind and focused on Naomé. "I see what you mean. I, too, hate any form of injustice with such a fierce passion that I sometimes forget everything around me. To me, injustice is a crime, one that should never be committed against anybody or anything in any place.

"However, since I came to Kingdom Hearts, I learned that injustice is all around me, not just in the place I used to call home. And as much as I wanted to correct every injustice I came across, I learned that I couldn't, since there were some that I couldn't interfere with. As much as I hated it, sometimes I had to look the other way. I hated myself for it, but there were a lot of times that there was nothing I could do. I'd have to walk away from it and let things happen."

Naomé felt something in her heart connect with Sora's words. Somehow, he'd managed to touch something in her soul again, a deep chord that resonated at the Keybearer's simple speech. He was right…nobody could correct all the injustice in the world, whether they thought they could or not. It just wasn't physically possible for one person to do. However, she couldn't help but feel that there was more…_much more_…than what he was saying. There was something hiding inside those words of his, a deep feeling of desperation and loneliness that was just as strong as hers.

"Sora," She said, reaching out and taking his hand. "You want out of here, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Sora replied, squeezing the hand that'd touched him. "But, I told you, I can't! I can't seem to find a way out!" He sighed in despair, turning away again and walking towards the other end of the floor. "I'm stuck in here, Naomé…stuck for eternity…I've tried everything I can think of to find a way out, and there are none…I'm in here forever…"

Naomé bristled. "What if I could find a way out for you?"

Sora whipped around, eyes wide again. He spoke in a whisper. "You would…do that…for me?" A small smile spread across his face. "Wow, thanks Naomé! You're a great friend! Shame that others only see you for _what_ you are…they don't know what they're missing!"

"I know," Naomé replied. "But, how can I find a way out?"

"The only way you can get me out of here is to free my body from wherever that is, and that may require you to go to Kingdom Hearts to find me. I know I'm still there, just where I don't know." Sora scratched at the back of his neck. "And besides, I bet where I am is guarded by hundreds of Heartless and Nobodies, and your fists just aren't going to be enough. You'd need something as strong as…like…"

"The Keyblade?" Naomé suggested, nodding towards the weapon Sora held in his hand.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, something like the Keyblade. I could let you borrow this one, but you can't take it out of here. However, I know that, just like my body, the 'body' of the Keyblade is outside this dreamland, too, but you'd have to find that one in order to even stand a chance of finding me. You see, you'd have to discover a way into Kingdom Hearts, and the only way to do that is to have the Keyblade in your possession."

"Then tell me where the Keyblade is and I'll go get it!" Naomé snapped.

"I don't know what's happened to it," Sora replied gloomily. "I don't think it's where I am anymore. I think something's happened to it. I don't know…" Suddenly, he stopped and stared down at the floor, at his tiled image. "Wait…there _might_ be someone who might know where it is…"

Naomé grabbed Sora by the back of his shirt and swung him around. "_Who?_"

Sora rolled his eyes to the air in thought. "His name is…Roxas…Roxas Avalon. He was a very close friend of mine, and I told him that if anything should happen to me to not let the Infiltrators or Organization XIII get their hands on the Keyblade. I don't know what's happened to Roxas, but there's a pretty strong chance that either he has the Keyblade, or he knows where it is. Of course, I think he's still in Kingdom Hearts, but…I could always be wrong…"

"Wait a sec. 'Infiltrators'? 'Organization XIII'? Who are they?"

"They are the controllers of the Heartless and the Nobodies. They were the ones that wanted me dead, since I foiled a lot of their plans to take over Kingdom Hearts and use it for their own evil purposes." Suddenly, Sora's eyes widened again, and he whirled away, head clasped between his hands. "Oh, _no!_ If I'm asleep, then that means the Organization and the Infiltrators must be wreaking _major_ havoc on Kingdom Hearts! Aw, _man!_ What am I gonna do?"

Naomé rapped out the words that came rushing to her mouth. "Tell me where this Roxas Avalon character is and I'll go find him _and_ the Keyblade! If I have to, I'll defend Kingdom Hearts _myself_ until I can get your precious Keyblade back to you, Sora! I'm the only one you can trust right now!"

Sora turned back to Naomé again, once again surprised at her strength of heart and great courage. _A girl take up the Keyblade and become the Keybearer in my place? She's actually willing to become the target of the Heartless and Nobodies just so she can save me? Whoa! Talk about the "Sleeping Lion!"_ He glanced at Naomé, narrowing his light ocean blue eyes in a pensive manner. "Would you really do that?"

"Of course I would!" Naomé scoffed. "Give me a clue as to where I can find Roxas, and I swear to you that I will return the Keyblade to you when I find you! I may be a half-breed, but I always keep my word, no matter how impossible it seems!"

Grinning, Sora nodded at Naomé, remarking to her with a rather light-hearted comment. "You know, Naomé, it's a pity I didn't know you outside. You'd be a great friend to have around! I bet even King Mickey would like you!"

"King Mickey? Who's that?"

"The rightful King of Kingdom Hearts. I know him quite well."

"Oh." Naomé was crestfallen. How was she to compare to someone who called a king a friend? Was it possible that she wasn't as strong as she'd just said she was, even though she knew her heart was strong? "Would he approve of me using the Keyblade he gave you?"

Sora gave a twittering laugh, the exact same one that Naomé had heard from the night before. "You think that King Mickey gave me the Keyblade? No way! I somehow got a hold of it myself! The King just accepts me as the true Keybearer!" But then, he became very solemn. "But, I think he wouldn't mind letting you take my place for a while. After all, it's not like I can defend Kingdom Hearts right now or anything. I have to leave it to someone I can trust, and right now that means you and Roxas."

He waved her over to the part of the "stage" he was standing on, motioning with his other hand towards a winding path made of mosaic tile steps that lead to a tower higher up. "If you want to start your search for Roxas, then you and I need to head up towards that tower there. Up there I can give you some clues to make your search a lot easier, but I think they're up top." He pointed to another tower further over, this one the tallest of all.

Naomé ran over to start up the stairs, Sora right at her heels. She ignored the fact that there was nothing but darkness below, and instead continued to climb upward, eyes locked on the tower above. Did she see something move up there? She pressed on, preparing herself for another battle against the Heartless and Nobodies should they show up.

She wasn't disappointed. She'd barely reached the last two steps when a pair of silky Nobodies came after her, both unleashing wild mid-air snap kicks. She ducked beneath them and thundered onto the green-themed stage, where she more Heartless and Nobodies immediately beset her. Jumping, twisting, sliding and rolling, Naomé Meilin Windom used everything she could think of to dodge her enemies, at one point even ducking as she heard the whistling _whoosh_ of Sora's Keyblade come screaming from behind her to her right side.

Like Naomé, Sora had become a raging demon, he and Keyblade moving in synch with one another. He'd kick one enemy away while striking another with his Keyblade, only to whip around and throw himself headlong into another foe with an explosive roar ripping from within the depths of his narrow chest. Enemies were sent skyward from being pummeled with the Keyblade, only to be bashed into with a furious charge from Naomé. The two teens were everywhere at once, both Nobodies and Heartless trying in vain to capture them. More than once foes would collide into one another, causing mass confusion and major damage.

"Come on!" Sora yelled to Naomé over the din. "Let's finish them!"

Naomé nodded, and then began throwing her weight around into nearby enemies, knocking them aside as she came rocketing to Sora's aid. She stood back-to-back with him, watching her enemies through smoldering eyes as they came to surround her and Sora in the middle of the stage, effectively cutting off any possible escape route. Enemies locked eyes with enemies, all tensely awaiting even a flicker of movement from the opposite force. Suddenly, Sora moved.

"_Eeeyyaaarrr!_" Sora screamed, flashing into his foes like a lightning strike. He milled about in a tight circle, Naomé still at his back, fists and feet lashing about like turbo-charged pistons, roaring as loud as he was as they both spun like a deadly tornado of power. They danced as one warrior, cutting a path through the cornfield of mayhem and slaughter towards another set of mosaic stairs off to their right, which immediately closed off behind them as the remainder of their foes bunched together like a hive of angry wasps. Throwing caution to the winds, both teenagers ran up to the tallest tower, foes clambering after them.

Naomé suddenly spotted more movement above, and yelled a warning to Sora. "Look out!"

"I see them!" Sora shouted back, taking the steps two at a time and blasting ahead. Naomé saw him explode onto the top of the tower like a thunderbolt, slashing wildly at another one of those lanky Nobodies. She gritted her teeth and took the final distance in three bounds, the third one bringing her right up behind Sora, her right fist crossing her body and blasting into the face of yet another Heartless foe, stunning it. Up on that final platform the whole battle started over again, the enemies left over from below joining the fray, forcing the two teens back-to-back again. But this time, they unleashed their flurry of blows like never before, causing even greater damage due to the fact that their adrenaline levels were sky-high. Nobody after Nobody after Heartless fell before fists and Keyblade, the roars and wild cries of Sora and Naomé the last thing their dying ears ever heard, the sounds crashing and exploding like thunder within the maelstrom of flying appendages, clashing Keyblades and thudding of bone striking bone striking floor.

The battle carried on for what seemed for an eternity…that is, until Sora and Naomé decided to earn their stripes for the day. Calling up the last reserves of their strength from within their bodies, they unleashed a final, furious assault as brutal and deadly as it'd ever been, this time sending enemies flying off the edge and into the dark depths of nothingness below. Some foes were even sent tumbling down the mosaic steps, powerful blasts of magic from Sora's Keyblade finishing them off before they could return to retaliate. More still were bent double and destroyed from a dazed Naomé bull rushing them, head lowered for a vicious butt to the middle, followed by her suddenly popping up and lashing out with a furious blur of blows from which there was no escaping.

At long last, the Nobodies and Heartless fled in defeat, leaving a breathless Sora and Naomé standing together yet alone atop the final tower, the floor hued in gold and brown tiles, a lavender door identical to the one from their first meeting standing tall behind them. Both young warriors raised their heads in unison to the sky, howling their victory with air-seeking lungs, Sora holding his mighty Keyblade aloft and swinging it in a blurring circle over his head. They had won!

Naomé stared long and hard at the door, a sudden feeling of apprehension welling up inside of her chest. There was something beyond that door…something that felt…_evil…_

Sora, also, felt the chill of evil in the air. He sensed his instincts gearing up, adrenaline coursing through his body like a searing heat that nothing could extinguish. His grip on the Keyblade tightened, his knuckles turning white against the polished golden hilt. He nodded toward the door. "We've got to go through there, Naomé. There's no turning back. The staircase behind us has disappeared. There's nowhere to go but forward now."

_No turning back?_ Naomé thought, swirling wildly on her heels. Sora was right; the staircase had completely disappeared! Nothing existed between the previous tower and this one except for chilly, inky blackness that threatened to engulf any and all who fell in its icy grasp. She gulped, her saliva making a choking lump in her throat that almost forced her to cough to nudge it down. But Sora was right…there _was_ no turning back. It was either through the door and to the other side, or stay on that tower forever, unable to move forward from fear, and unable to go back for there was no path back to the start.

_CRrreaakk…_

Naomé felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise to attention. She spun around to see Sora pushing the door open. He turned halfway towards her, inclining with a jerk of his head that they should proceed. He locked eyes with her, his bright blue eyes piercing her to the core with unfettered power. "Let's go, Naomé. It is time to meet your destiny…Kingdom Hearts…"

Swallowing her fears, Naomé squared her shoulders, stood up straight and held her head fearlessly high, though inside every shred of her fibrous being was trembling with sheer terror. She gave Sora a terse nod and stepped forward, coming up next to the Keybearer and passing through the door in stride. She blinked against the bright light that'd been there before, willed her legs to obey as she walked up the ethereal steps, realizing that every step was to face her destiny…even if it was a doomed one…

The passage brought her and Sora to another tower, this one decorated with the turquoise-colored mosaic that'd been on the first tower when she'd first arrived in this strange dreamland, where she'd met Sora from his "younger" days. There were no signs of Heartless or Nobodies…the place was eerily silent. Nothing in this place stirred, save for Sora and Naomé's clothes rubbing against their bodies as they moved.

Sora's eyes narrowed as he dropped into a defensive crouch. "Something's not right here…it's too quiet…" He looked from left to right to left again, eyes shifting to look around and behind him as his head moved about on his neck, the only thing moving other than that were his feet, which were carrying him into the middle of the tower, his body maintaining the squat he'd placed himself in.

Naomé slowly walked behind him, fear crawling up her spine with an arctic chill. Her feet barely touched the tile surface, her whole being tense with apprehension as she struggled to keep her guard up. She felt like she did back home, when she'd always sensed her old school bullies sneaking up from behind to pounce her and beat her to a pulp. There was something here that was just as bad…and the feeling made her believe that those bullies were nothing compared to what was hiding in there…

A sudden tremor, a forceful blast of wind, a shout from Sora and the flash of the singing Keyblade snapped Naomé out of her dream. She looked down to see the tower tipping over, like someone would tip a glass to take a drink. Instincts kicking into high gear, Naomé ran as fast as her legs could carry her, up the slanted face of the tower and towards the other edge, where Sora had managed to balance precariously on the extreme edge, Keyblade whirling like a swirling hurricane around his body. She lunged forward as the tower tipped further, hyper-extending her body in a powerful lunge that granted her just enough reach to grab onto the edge right between Sora's legs, her nails digging in and her feet scrambling for footholds as she fought to stay safe. What she saw next was so terrifying that she nearly released her grip.

The thing that'd risen from the depths was huge, no _colossal_ in size, rising high over Sora's head, up to where the ceiling might've been had it been able to be seen. Silky, silvery-white in color, Naomé recognized it immediately as a giant Nobody. The creature wore a huge helmet with a strange fleur-de-lis design on the visor sat atop broad shoulders that were covered in gargantuan shoulder pads that vaguely reminded her of giant wings. This thing had two wide arms, a broad chest, a narrow abdomen, and a stocky lower body with short, stumpy legs that had big, narrow feet. Four long, cerulean blue ribbons unfurled from the same color ribbon that formed the collar of the "breastplate," waving about in an undetectable wind. The monster stared down at her and Sora maliciously, a low hiss issuing from within the helmet.

Sora's eyes went wide as he craned back to look at the colossal creature. "Whoa…it's _huge!_"

"Never mind that!" Naomé squeaked. "Just _get rid of it!_"

With a speed belying its bulk, the beast swept Naomé and Sora up into the air like a pair of feathers with one huge hand, the other coming back to smack them away towards where the door was. The tower tilted back to its normal position, and both young warriors found themselves plummeting toward the mosaic floor below…

Suddenly, Naomé and Sora found themselves being held up in the air by purplish-white lightning bolts that acted as restraints. The strange Nobody tried to bull into them, only to have Sora twist his wrist at an odd angle and swing the Keyblade with all his might. The strike struck the thing in the head, causing it to recoil and pull back, the bolts releasing the teens from their "shocking" prison.

"Aim for the head!" Sora yelled, twisting his body in preparation to swing out with the Keyblade in a vicious attack. He was falling faster than Naomé was, due to his greater weight, and this added more power behind his already strong swing.

Naomé decided that the best way to strike was to try and use all of her body for the attack. While in mid-fall, she curled up into a ball, cannoning straight down like a stone towards the thing's massive head. At the right moment, she uncurled, her feet reared back in the perfect position to strike with her heels, therefore suffering the least amount of damage. She managed to catch up to Sora at just the perfect second, Keyblade and heels striking the helmet, making the thing shudder from impact. Sora continued hacking and slashing away with the Keyblade, while Naomé fell down towards the ground before catching the rim of the breastplate and swinging herself back up, feet kicking into the creature's "jaw" with a sickening _crunch._ As she fell, she repeated the trick, this time swinging herself to the other side, causing damage there, too.

Both Naomé and Sora continued to strike for the next minute or so, finally having to give up as the beast straightened. Sora was able to land to the ground, but Naomé was stuck to the collar of the thing's armor! She hung there helplessly, feet kicking as she grappled with gravity.

Sora looked up to see Naomé's plight. "Naomé!" He screamed, rushing forward and striking the thing's midsection, causing it to double up in pain, allowing Naomé a chance to escape. He called up to her, urging her to jump back down to safety. "Hurry, Naomé! Jump!"

"No way!" Naomé shot back, clinging to the armor for dear life. "You're damned crazy, Sora!"

Sora was beside himself with excitement. "Damn it all to Hell! If you don't jump, you silly girl, I'll come up there and knock you down! Now, jump, dammit!" He swung his Keyblade about in a crazy volley of parries at the beast's hands as they tried to knock him away. "Jump, Naomé! _Now!_"

Defying her instincts to stay put, Naomé gathered up all her pluck and jumped, crashing face-first onto the platform, and directly in front of Sora's feet. She rolled underneath him as he leaped over her, Keyblade swinging out in a furious counterattack. He yelled for her to stay back as he unleashed a torrent of fire in the thing's face.

"I didn't know you could use _magic!_" Naomé called from the middle of the floor, watching as Sora danced about as the creature's fingers came within inches of squashing him like a bug. "Where'd you learn how to do that?"

"From Merlin the magician!" Sora replied, nimbly dodging a streak of lightning that'd narrowly missed his left foot. "Whoa! That was _too_ close!" He leapt and spun about, evading the lightning as it came down in torrents, sometimes the bolts coming within millimeters of striking him. He parried some with his Keyblade, shooting them back into the creature's face, while others he just managed to dodge out of dumb luck rather than skill. At one point, he became nothing but a furious blur of motion, diving, sliding and twirling out of the paths of the lightning storm and rushing in to strike the thing's head with a powerful combination of moves and fancy footwork that left Naomé feeling dizzy.

Just when Naomé had finally summoned all the strength she could from her already depleted reserves, she felt the tower start to tip beneath her. She didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second, leaping to her feet and running over towards Sora and the giant Nobody. She bawled her warning over another barrage of lightning. "Sora! The tower's tipping again! Watch out!"

"Huh?" Sora asked, jumping away from a massive thorny finger. When he landed, he noticed that the edge of the tower was a not that far away then when he'd initially started the jump. _Wait a minute…either my jump wasn't as high as I thought it was, which it should be, since I have the High Jump power of my Valor Drive Orb activated, or else…the tower _is_ tipping over! Holy crap! I gotta move! _With a startled yelp, Sora leaped back, Keyblade singing out to punish a hand that'd come too close. "Whoa! Head for the edge, Naomé! We're gonna get trapped again!"

Both young warriors lunged desperately for the edge, their feet just managing to catch them and keep them from falling, mainly because the pitch had become too great for them to fall off anymore. Now, the risk was falling _backwards_. They teetered precariously on the rim, Sora doing a death-defying dance on the extreme as he parried the thrusts and slaps that were being rained down on Naomé and himself. But despite his amazing efforts, one slap just managed to narrowly miss Naomé, the rush of air left in the wake of the strike being strong enough to knock her over backwards and down towards the abyss below.

Sora heard the scream explode from his throat as he roared like a wounded animal, a sudden fury that he'd never known rushing into him and causing him to go berserk, surprising both himself and the Nobody as he unleashed a furious string of combos in the thing's face, coupled with some heavy doses of magic. He blamed himself for Naomé's fall, telling himself that he hadn't been fast enough to stop the attack that'd taken her life.

He was angry now.

He wanted _revenge!_

_Unknown World – Station of Awakening_

Naomé felt her heart leap into her mouth as she tumbled down from the amazing height towards the darkness below her that'd threatened to devour her for so long. This time, she knew that it wasn't water. There was nothing down there but her final doom. _At least I won't have to worry about returning home…I won't have to deal with being called a "half-breed" anymore…_

"_Naomé!_" Sora's agonized scream chased after the plummeting girl, snapping her senses awake from the murky oblivion that they'd begun to descend into. She suddenly realized that she _didn't_ want to die, that she wanted to finish what she started, keep her promise to Sora…and to go home. She felt something in her body kick into gear, and she instinctively reached out and grabbed at the giant tiles that made up the floor, her fingers catching in one of the grout lines and holding her dangerously close to the mouth of the eternal pit. But still, despite her skillful save, she'd almost lost her grip and continued the descent she'd so desperately tried to bring to a screeching halt.

Slowly, painfully, Naomé Meilin Windom began climbing back up to tilted edge of the tower, digging her hands and feet into the grout lines and scaling the tower like a cliff face. At one point, she looked up to see Sora caught in the lightning bolts that'd first restrained them when this had happened the first time around. However, the Nobody countered his swing this time, sending the Keyblade tumbling down towards her.

_Blast it!_ Naomé thought, suddenly feeling a surge of power explode into every sinew of her body, her muscles acting almost of their own free will as they caused her to rocket up the tiles at an alarming speed. Taking the biggest leap of faith that she'd ever taken, Naomé threw herself up into the air and reached for the Keyblade, twisting her body out of the way of a stray lightning bolt just before snagging the hilt of Sora's favorite weapon with two fingers and reeling it into her grasp with a flick of her wrist. She came down hard, her other hand grabbing the edge and keeping her from falling again. She pulled herself up with a one-handed flip, landing on her feet just as the tower started to level out. She jumped back a little at a time, until she was standing in the middle of the tower once more.

Finally able to move freely again, Naomé let her instincts guide her, the Keyblade swinging about clumsily in her inexperienced hands. However, her blundering managed to distract the creature long enough so Sora could break free. He started another freefall, shouting out to Naomé. "Give me the Keyblade! Throw it, Naomé! Throw me my Keyblade!"

Mustering all her power, Naomé gave the Keyblade a massive toss up into the air, Sora extending his hand and catching the weapon in mid-spin, whereupon he rapidly brought it smashing into the giant Nobody's head with a explosive burst of energy and a furious outcry of pent-up rage. He stayed aloft momentarily, constantly hacking, slashing, spinning and striking, the Keyblade a blur of light around his body, battle cries echoing like peals of thunder striking stone. Sora gave the thing a final strike before plummeting to the ground, catching himself at the last moment and thus allowing himself to land perfectly on his feet.

Naomé and Sora jumped backwards as the creature brought a fist slamming into the ground where they'd been only moments ago. The thing, however, wasn't finished. From its hand began to emit a massive black, oily substance that spread along the floor towards them in a slick pool. Backing up even further, Naomé saw silvery-white creatures come crawling out of the dark stuff, then felt her fears suddenly jump back into existence with a jolt as she realized that she was facing things that were only legs!

Sora glowered angrily at them. "Creepers!" He snarled, wading into them with his Keyblade. "Don't worry about them, Naomé! Just go in swinging!" He jumped into the air as he started to sink into the black goo, then began an intricate dance of weaving in and out, back and forth, lunging and retreating, all the while dancing in synch with his Keyblade, weapon and master perfectly attuned to one another.

But the Creepers didn't wait for Naomé to move. They came skittering towards her, preparing to lunge into the air and kick her down. Their surprise was great when Naomé rushed them, unleashing her power once again at the beasts, knocking them willy-nilly as she milled about in their midst, repeating Sora's same dancing movements as best as she could, sending most of them off the edge of the tower and out of sight. She jumped backwards as the giant beast's fist pulled back away from the ground, taking the pool and Creepers with it.

"Finally!" Sora yelled, rushing forward and flying into the air, Keyblade swung in a mighty blow coming from over his shoulders and arcing over his head and down in a parallel line in relation to his body. He struck the fist, then struck again with a sideways blow. Like before, he became a flash of multiple colors, finally destroying the hand with a mighty overhand slash at the wrist. "Hah! Gotcha!"

"Sora! Watch out! The other hand!" Naomé yelled out a warning a she saw the beast's only hand come blasting towards the airborne Sora in an attempt to strike him. Sora allowed himself to drop, but a moment too late. He got knocked aside like a doll, the Keyblade flying from his hands as he got blown over the edge of the tower and out of sight.

Naomé screamed Sora's name like he'd screamed hers, the same fury he'd felt when he'd thought she'd perished now exploding in her veins with the same raw power. She glanced over and saw the Keyblade spinning across the floor towards the opposite edge from where its master had fallen, preparing to follow him to the last. But Naomé's mind was used to thinking in split-second bursts, and it did so now with alarming clarity, transferring power to the areas that needed it the most, causing her to make a headlong dash across the platform, dodging the thing's hand in order to make a great dive and snag the Keyblade just before it went plummeting into the dark depths. She rolled over and parried another blow from the beast, the force of it almost sending her over to join Sora.

As Naomé rose to her feet, she could almost feel a change overcome her body, a sudden surge of power that came from wielding the Keyblade. Ignoring it for the moment, she started combating the creature herself, her movements not as precise as Sora's had been, but just as effective at causing some serious damage. Roaring and yelling insults and battle-cries at the murdering titan, Naomé leaped and slashed, hacked and spun, stabbed and danced as she weaved through the beast's thick fingers, Keyblade swinging in the opposite direction with each move, slicing into the foremost knuckles with a sickening _crunch_ upon impact of Keyblade with bone.

The creature let out a thunderous hiss of pain from the Keyblade cutting into one of its fingers, black, oily goop seeping from the wound and dripping all over the floor. It gave a hissing roar and brought its injured hand crashing down on the tiled floor, causing a shockwave that sent Naomé jumping into the air for fear of being thrown off. She used the chance to do an aerial attack, slashing at the height of the creature's wrist repeatedly until it was forced to draw the hand away. As she landed, she nimbly dodged aside as the thing's other hand came sweeping across the floor like a colossal wall made of brushed titanium, narrowly missing the chance to take another swipe at the titan.

The battle continued this way for another several minutes, Naomé always managing to almost or completely miss the chances for critical damage, shockwaves causing her to jump and lose her timing. But although she was attacking with everything she had, all she'd managed to do was slice the beast's hands to ribbons. _If only I could get up to the head…then it would be all over._

Suddenly, the beast did an unexpected maneuver. It threw itself into an "in place" cartwheel, allowing Naomé the chance to strike. She dodged the hand that was sweeping across the floor, ran up the arm, and managed to catch a chink in the armor just as the thing righted itself. She jammed the Keyblade between her teeth, as she needed both hands to climb up, and began her treacherous ascent up the thing's arm, ducking every once in a while to thwart an attempt to knock her off into oblivion. More than once she found herself spinning through the air as the thing executed yet another cartwheel, as though hoping to buck her like a bronco bucks a cowboy.

Despite the fact she was sick to her stomach, Naomé gamely hung on, like a grim nemesis that was as relentless in pursuit of its quarry as a shadow follows its master. She was absolutely certain that nothing was going to stop her from exacting her revenge on Sora's death! She continued to climb, struggling as the thing became more and more aware of her presence. It wasn't easy for her to hold on, but hold on she did, strength far greater than any she'd ever known rushing through her lanky body, seeping energy into every inch of her being with a tidal wave of strength and awesome power. The fury of an avenging angel coursed through her with searing heat, a warrior's courage spurring her on to greater feats of legendary caliber.

Down below, Sora clung to one of the relieved arches on the side of the tower, nails digging into the stony surface with all their might. Up above, he could hear Naomé yelling and screaming like a scorched tiger as she sought to wreak havoc on the gigantic Nobody that'd tried to kill him. He gritted his teeth and fought against the pain of his screaming shoulder blades as he pulled himself up onto the arch, using it as a temporary platform. Knowing that it was too high to jump, Sora crouched onto his hands and knees, allowing himself a brief respite to catch his breath before rushing up to finish the battle.

All of a sudden, he felt a tilt in the tower. Seizing his chance, Sora bolted across the archways, the angle of the tipping pillar allowing him to be able to regain his former position on the brink of disaster. He repeated Naomé's trick of hop skipping backwards as the tower righted itself, finally getting a front-and-center view of the climax of Naomé's death-defying climb.

The giant Nobody finally had enough of Naomé's irritation, and it threw her up into the air like it'd done before, preparing to catch her in the electric "chains" that'd it done to Sora when it'd knocked the Keyblade away the first time. But, this time, Naomé was ready. Just as the thing prepared to capture her, she somersaulted in mid-air, bringing herself spinning down onto the creature's head, the Keyblade describing a full circle around her body as she smashed it down with a repeated venom, the power of each strike growing increasingly more powerful. She managed to clobber the thing a good seven or eight times before starting her descent towards the tower, but she knew just what to do next. She caught the collar of the thing's armor like she'd done the first time, and, using the Keyblade as a fulcrum, swung herself into both sides of the thing's jaw, hands constantly switching their grasp on the dangling Keyblade. As the final part of her attack, she swung herself up higher than before, causing the Keyblade to release itself from the rim, allowing her to do a final, massive assault on the creature's armored face before tumbling back down to the tiled floor of the tower.

"Naomé!" Sora called to her from behind. "Good job! That did some damage!"

Stunned, Naomé turned around, Keyblade still in hand. "Sora…you're all right!" She smiled and flicked the Keyblade back to him. "Why don't you finish this off?"

Sora twirled the Keyblade in his hand, a confident smile alighting on his own features. He gave Naomé a broad wink. "With pleasure! Of course, that is _only_ with your help." He paused intentionally.

Naomé nodded. "Done! Let's get it, Sora!"

Howling and roaring, screaming and yelling, the two warriors screamed pell-mell into the thing, attacking it with all their might. They endured everything until the thing came forward in an attempt to viciously butt the heroes over the edge into oblivion.

But, much to the creature's dismay, Sora was waiting for it, a charge of his own set. He bulled forward as the beast flew towards him, Keyblade drawn close to his side and held back, like a knight preparing to strike with his lance. At the right moment, Sora unleashed his full upper body strength, impaling the creature's head with the Keyblade, sending oily blood spurting and streaming everywhere and thus ending the battle in a spectacular and dramatic fashion.

Naomé breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew! That was tough!"

Sora spun around and lightly touched Naomé's shoulder with the Keyblade. "That was only the beginning, Naomé. If you do what you promised, then you will be facing creatures as dangerous, if not more so, as that inside of Kingdom Hearts. You've proven yourself, Naomé…now go back to the real World and find the Keyblade. Until then, I will see you on the other side. Farewell, my friend…"

Before Naomé could say anything, she felt the World below her give out. Her entire surroundings went black as the light around her unexpectedly disappeared. She felt her blood run cold in her veins as she detected gravity suddenly coming back into play as she was yanked down into the inky darkness around the tower, heart flying up into her throat, cutting off her scream…

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Imperial Crown Hotel and Resort_

Sunlight gleamed through the open window of Naomé's room, streaking in a flashing ridge across her body as she woke to find herself sprawled out on the floor, eyes facing the ceiling. Her body ached with the fatigue of the battle in her dreams, that mysterious power that'd come from the Keyblade still flowing through her, hand clenching and unclenching as it tried to recall the grip of the Keyblade's hilt.

Rising slowly, Naomé grabbed one of the towels off her dresser and headed to the showers. She made a promise to Sora, and she was going to keep it! Starting right now, all she would be focused on was finding that Keyblade!


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Roxas Avalon, Guardian of the Keyblade

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Hi-Roller Strip_

Tokyo was just like Vegas: it seemed completely unassuming and boring by day, but exploded into a festival of light, color and sounds by night. Such was the discovery made by Naomé Windom as she joined the elaborate nightlife of Tokyo. However, there was something much more important on her mind as she walked the boulevards of brilliant light shows: Roxas and the Keyblade.

In many ways, the "dive to her heart" had become Naomé's greatest enigma. What was it in her that'd drawn her to that netherworld of dreams, take on hundreds of shadowy and silvery foes with a boy who wielded a blade fashioned like a key, and ultimately face down a creature so immense that it could've swallowed her in a single gulp? And furthermore, how was it that she was undertaking a search for a weapon that, as far as she knew, existed only in her dreams? The only way to prove if the dream was a real event or just a figment of her imagination was to find Roxas and sort everything out.

Her memories of that night several weeks back in Spotlight Café came swimming back to the forefront of her mind. She recalled meeting the man she mentally called her "friend," enjoying what would have been the last half-hour of her shift taking her break and sitting with him at his table while they both enjoyed their dinner. The pain of having to say "good-bye" to him and his gallant, chivalrous actions had left Naomé with a deep impression of one who looked to the old ways much like she did, someone who, given the chance and time, would've possibly been so much more than just a passing acquaintance.

_But, I don't even know where Roxas Avalon is…and _if_ I found him, would he know where the Keyblade is?_ Naomé thought as she headed towards a quieter section of town, one that would allow her to think a lot clearer. Gravel crunched beneath her feet as she walked past a deserted alleyway, completely unaware that she was being watched.

Roxas was heading towards his favorite hangout: The Jade Dragon.

His place of employment and one of his most favored places in Tokyo, Roxas loved nothing more than coming to The Jade Dragon at night and enjoying the nightlife. Many of his co-workers thought he was insane to come to work on his days and nights off, but he just merely laughed their thoughts away and continued to come anyway. Besides, he always liked to see if his boss needed him to come in and work overtime. The Jade Dragon was _always_ busy.

Tonight, the ragged, scruffy-looking clothes he'd worn a couple days before had been discarded back in the train station he called home, the clothes that kept him disguised from those he didn't want to know who he was. After all, one never knew when a Human could in fact be a member of Organization XIII. He instead was wearing the clothes he'd worn so long ago when he'd met Naomé in the Spotlight Café in Compass City.

_Naomé Windom…_her name took Roxas back to a different place and time, an entirely different world that he'd actually felt like he'd belonged in. _Compass City made me think of Twilight Town…and Naomé made me think of myself. She was going through the same thing that I've been through all of my life. I've always struggled with being different than everybody else…I wish that I could find her again and help her…she looked like she needed a real friend…_

That's when his dream came true.

Upon his usual traveling through the shadows of the backstreets and alleyways due to his preference of staying well-hidden due to his want to remain hidden against "enemies" that wanted to "mess him up," Roxas spotted Naomé (or what he _believed_ to be Naomé) heading right to the same destination he was: _The Jade Dragon!_

Amazed, Roxas pressed himself up against the wall of the building and watched as Naomé headed down the virtually deserted street. He recalled the strange dream he'd had last evening, the one where a vision of his old friend had come to visit him. Sora had been just as he'd remembered him from ten years before, the proud warrior always ready with a smile. He could distinctly hear his friend's voice in his mind, telling him that he didn't have to wait very long to find the "Second Keybearer," the one destined to help set him free. Roxas had had his doubts when Sora had told him that the Second Chosen One was a _female,_ but he knew better than to question divine help. After all, it'd been that help that'd told him to head to the Key Islands.

The sudden connection had hit him earlier that afternoon. _Could _Naomé Windom_ be the Second Keybearer? Is it possible that I met the one that is supposed to take Sora's place? Maybe I'll be able to find out something about her…I'll keep the Keyblade with me, no matter what! I do have my doubts about Naomé being the Second Keybearer, but maybe I'm wrong…maybe Sora's led me to her…why else would he have told me to find her? Maybe, just maybe, she's the one that's meant to return to Kingdom Hearts…and set Sora free…_

Sparked by a sudden determination, the young man walked off after the girl, taking great care to track her from the shadows. He didn't want her to bolt in case she took his actions the wrong way. There was no way to know just how the Second Keybearer would react to someone else holding her destined weapon of choice.

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Hi-Roller Strip – The Jade Dragon_

Naomé couldn't help but feel foreign as she entered the dance club that she'd discovered. Located in a more secluded part of town, the music varied from slow to blue-blazing fast, soft dance to all-out heavy metal/techno, and the environment was buzzing with action as clubbers moved in rhythm to the various pieces, bodies grooving to the beat, oblivious to all around them. Up on the second level, a café and bar was loaded with partygoers, many of them bobbing their heads in time to the beat, and many more enjoying food and drink while watching the live entertainment down below.

Picking her way through the crowd, Naomé ignored many of the glances turned her way. Did she really look _that_ Japanese, so much so that no one could tell that she was half-American? She pushed the thoughts aside as she finally found a high bar table with a single barstool at it in the far corner of the room, away from everyone. She acknowledged none as she slid into the seat, eyes fixated on the menu lying on the table. What was she going to have?

The "shadow games" had surprised Roxas when he discovered that he'd tailed Naomé to his job. _This girl's got good taste. But, I wonder what someone like her would be doing heading into this part of town? Most girls come here with a date, and yet she was alone! Hmmm…I'll have to keep my eyes on her…she seems both familiar and suspicious to me…_

Picking his way through the guests, Roxas made his way to the bar. His friend, Xavier, was the bartender tonight. Roxas smiled at the sight of his fellow co-worker; Xavier was one of the best bartenders in the joint. The only other one that beat Xavier was himself, and he knew that he could make a killer drink in no time flat!

"Hey, buddy!" Xavier called out when he saw Roxas approach the bar. He cleaned up a nice spot right close to the beer taps for Roxas to sit at. "What are you doin' here, Rox? It's Friday night! You should be doing something other than hanging about this old joint!"

Roxas shrugged. "I'm bored, man. Is Rob in here tonight?"

Xavier nodded. "Yeah. Want me to get him?"

"No. I was just curious."

His friend nodded. "Ah. So, you want something? My treat," He offered.

Roxas shrugged again. "I dunno…"

"What are _you_ doing here, stranger?" Trinity, a young woman that'd started at The Jade Dragon only six months ago, completely caught Roxas off guard with the sound of her voice. Glancing up, Trinity's exotically beautiful Asian complexion, complete with jade green eyes and silky jet-black hair, was staring right at him. "Evening, Trin. What's up?"

Trinity laughed and flicked her hair back. "Not much." She tapped the counter with her fingers in an "act" of being curt with her bartender. "Hey, Xave! Mind making me a Mai Tai for table thirty?"

Xavier laughed. "Sure!" He glanced back over his shoulder at Roxas as he snagged the glass for Trinity's drink. "C'mon, Roxas! I mean it! I'll buy you a drink! Tell me what you want! Anything!"

"I'll one up you on that!" Trinity laughed. She gave Roxas a flirty hug. "How about I buy you dinner to go with that drink, Boss?" Roxas was the Assistant Manager of The Jade Dragon, just like Naomé was at the Spotlight Café.

Roxas frowned. "Oh, _come on…_you _know_ I don't take advantage of a system!" But, then he had a sudden inspiration. _Table thirty…that's back behind me in towards the corner! That girl sat at table thirty-five! Maybe Trinity could take a drink over there for me?_ "Hey, Trin! Could you do me a favor?"

Trinity took the Mai Tai and set it on her tray. "Sure. What do you need?"

"Well, I need you to take a drink over to the girl at table thirty-five."

"Her?" Trinity replied, nodding towards Naomé.

Roxas nodded. "Yeah. Could you? Please?"

It was Xavier's turn to laugh. "Oho! A girl, eh? Where'd you find her, Roxas? She looks like a hot one to me! I wish I could find a girl like that!"

"I bet you could," Trinity replied. "But any self-respecting girl would rather go out with a dog than the trash the dog digs out of the dumpster."

Xavier gaped. "_What?_"

Roxas fought hard to not snigger as he placed his order. "Make a Shirley Temple for table thirty-five, and an Electric Slider for me."

"_Whoa!_" Xavier yelped as he grabbed the tall, slender glasses made for both the Shirley Temple and Electric Slider. "Dude! You're going to be _totally wasted_ by the time you're done! I can only imagine what Tokyo would look like in the haze you're going to put yourself under! You'll probably feel like you're off in la-la-land and playing with a kaleidoscope!"

"No, I'm not," Roxas replied. "I only drink one of those whenever I have them. After that, it's all water for me. I'm _not_ an alcoholic, and I don't plan on ever beginning."

Xavier smiled and winked at his Assistant Manger's reasoning. "Well said, Roxas. One Shirley Temple and an Electric Slider comin' right up."

Naomé was bored. Despite she found a distinct liking towards the music, it did little to answer the myriad of questions dancing around and around in her head about Roxas Avalon and the Keyblade. _Sora said he had it, and yet when I met him, I didn't see any sign of it! Where could it be hiding if he is indeed the one that has it in his possession?_

Suddenly, a young waitress came over with a drink in her hand. She set it down in the middle of the table, managing to catch Naomé's attention. "Miss, I was asked to bring this to you, compliments from the gentleman down the way."

Naomé eyed the drink. Curious, she asked the waitress what kind it was.

The waiter was simple in her answer. "It's a Shirley Temple, Miss."

_Who would order me a Shirley Temple?_ Naomé thought, eying the drink. She looked up and finally caught sight of the handsome young man dressed in sharp, well-tailored clothes and sitting at the bar right next to the beer taps and looking right back at her. He politely lifted his glass to her and smiled winningly. Nodding her gratitude, Naomé thanked the waitress and took a careful sip of the drink, eyeing the generous youth with a well-trained eye. How would someone who'd never met her know that she was too young to drink alcohol, especially when it looked like everyone inside The Jade Dragon appeared to be stoned? _Besides, he seems awfully familiar to me…I wonder where I've seen him before…?_

As she became comfortable with her hole-in-the-wall spot, Naomé finally found time to think about what Sora had said. Where was Roxas? Where was the Keyblade? If she had to go to Kingdom Hearts to find him, then how was she going to get there? Was she just going to fall into every hole she could think of in hopes of discovering the portal that got her out of here and to that mysterious place where the Keybearer was the Champion?

"You don't enjoy Human company much, do you?"

Snapping out of her reverie, Naomé glanced up to see the young man from the bar standing before her table, his own drink in hand, the charming smile still on his face. "You looked as though you needed a friend. Is this seat taken?"

"No," Naomé replied coldly, keeping her eyes locked on the youthful gentleman's face. The old feeling of apprehension rose up within her from its deeply imbedded prison in her heart. Although she was tempted to bash the boy's face in, she attempted to be courteous. Who knew? Maybe this guy could take her to Roxas, or at least knew of a way for her to find him. _Unless…this _is_ Roxas!_ "Well, I guess you can sit there if you want to." She pulled the menu and halogen tea light back away from where she'd pushed it earlier.

Nodding politely, Roxas slid into the bar stool and set his raspberry-blue beverage down on the tabletop. The sound of Naomé's voice triggered in his memory immediately, allowing him to recognize her in a matter of seconds. _This is Naomé Windom! I've found her! What is she doing in Tokyo? Was she that desperate to find me? _He gave a respectful pause before speaking. "So, how long have you been in Tokyo?"

"Three days." Naomé was curt in her answer as she warily took another sip of her drink. "Why do you ask?" She gave the young man a warning glower, her gray eyes cold with stony hostility.

Roxas seemed to take no heed of Naomé's icy glares and instead offered up to buy her dinner. He did so without her even answering him, immediately ordering a "sampler" of the appetizers served and two bowls of white rice to go with it. He flashed Naomé another winning smile as he plopped down a couple heavy credits down the tabletop. "I always come prepared."

"For what?" Naomé snorted. "In case you find a girl you want to hit on?"

"That stung," Roxas answered. "Where do you com from, anyway? Antarctica?"

Once again, Naomé fought the urge to scatter the man's brains. "No, I'm from Compass City, the capital of the Key Islands." She gave him another frosty glare as she sipped her Shirley Temple.

"The Key Islands, eh? Isn't that the place where they relocate half-breeds to?"

This time the desire to box the man silly was so strong that Naomé nearly leapt across the table. She also knew the Key Islands was indeed the place where the rest of the world sent their "half-breeds" and the parents that'd so arrogantly dared to create them, as though they were dangerous criminals. In short, it seemed the World believed that the Key Islands were a modern-day Alcatraz, and Compass City was the prison where the most dangerous "criminals" resided. Still, it didn't irritate her any less. "Well, its is rumored that 'half-breeds' live there, but the truth is that if they do, they aren't that obvious. I guess you could call them a 'lost civilization' of sorts."

Suddenly, Roxas came forward, his odd eerie crystal blue eyes studying her intensely. Before she could ask him what he was thinking, he spat out his thoughts. _I'm not going to like this…I learned while being on the Key Islands just how sensitive half-breeds are…I'm _really_ not going to like this…oh, well. _"Hey, _you're_ a half-breed, aren't you? I can tell just by looking at you. You don't look like everyone else here."

_That's it! He's gone far enough with this!_ Naomé roughly grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him close to her face, eyes blazing hatred. "And what if I am? You don't look like everybody else here, either, boy!" She ground her teeth as she struggled the hardest she ever remembered struggling with herself to keep her emotions in check.

The young man's answer left her speechless. "You probably know what you are."

Naomé found herself releasing the youth from her venomous grasp, both of them collapsing back into their seats. She watched as her "friend" readjusted his shirt as he spoke. When he spoke again, he was still charming and polite in spite of the fact that the girl he'd so brutally insulted had nearly put her fist through his face. "So, you look like you're _somewhat_ Japanese. What's your other half?"

Despite her initial apprehension, she couldn't help but feel some sense of pleasure. Here was someone that could recognize what she was! She immediately responded. "I'm half American, half Japanese. What kind of half-breed are _you_?"

Roxas shrugged. "I don't know what I am. All I know is that I'm some kind of a mutt, and nobody seems willing to tell me what I am. I guess they're all afraid to admit that I'm a part of their culture." He then flashed Naomé the grin once more. "However, it's not as bad as I originally thought it was, because I don't have to stick with any particular group. One day I can be a Russian-American, the next I can be Vietnamese-Australian. See? I can be anything I want."

"Lucky," Naomé replied. "I wish _my_ life was that simple. What's your name?"

Frowning, Roxas turned away. He hated playing games, but he needed to know whatever he could before he said anything. "I really don't like the name I have, but it's one that seems to have no particular heritage to it, so I guess it suits me better than anything. Sure, I've tried other names, but none seem as good as my own."

"Well, what is it?"

"Promise not to laugh? It _is_ a pretty stupid name." Naomé was getting irritated again. "I won't laugh! Tell me!"

Sighing, Roxas turned back to face Naomé, bright blue eyes locking with hers. He took a deep breath, as though coming to terms with what he was about to reveal. _I know she'll recognize me once she hears my name. I hope that I know what I'm doing…_ Finally, after a lengthy pause, he finally spoke to her. "Roxas Avalon."

_Roxas Avalon? Oh, gods, I found him! Here before me is the one that Sora told me to find! He's right in front of me!_ "Roxas Avalon? You mean _you're_ the Guardian of the Keyblade? I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Stunned, Roxas reacted in a way that even surprised himself. He snatched Naomé's wrist and promptly dragged her up another flight of stairs and to the roof above. He closed the door behind him before turning to Naomé, suspicion hardening his features and putting a sharp edge to his voice. "Who told you who I am?"

Naomé was stupefied to see and hear the sudden change in Roxas's demeanor. The kind, generous young man she'd been talking to only moments before was now a snarling wolf, all etiquette forgotten. Now, he was interrogating her! "Sora told me to find you! He's the one who told me what your name was!"

_Sora? _Sora_ was the one who told her? But, I thought he was asleep!_ "Hold on a second there, girl! How do you know Sora? Where have you met him?"

"In my dreams! I've been dreaming about him for the last couple nights!"

Roxas's laugh was cold. "You were dreaming about Kingdom Hearts? What did you see? And what did Sora look like?" He folded his arms across his chest and narrowed one eye at her in a derisive gesture.

Naomé related everything of her dreams to Roxas, including her battle with the giant Heartless and Nobody. When she finished, Roxas was staring at her in a whole different way. The anger on his face had changed to awe and disbelief. "Whoa, hold on! You battled a Darkside _and_ a Twilight Thorn, and the Keyblade actually _allowed_ you to use it when Sora was right there? That's impossible! Only _Sora_ can use the Keyblade!"

"Well, somehow it let me use it!" Naomé countered. "And I was able to do many of the things that Sora was able to do, too! Of course, I couldn't do them as well as he could, but I could still do them!" She got right up and personal in Roxas's face, as though daring him to argue with her. "If I can come _that close _to doing things the way Sora can and not be him, then doesn't that mean that I get the Keyblade?"

Roxas laughed outright this time around. "Do you honestly think I'm going to hand over Sora's Keyblade to you, when all you've done is have a couple dreams about him? I think not, girl! You're going to have to _prove_ to me that you can wield the Keyblade like Sora can!"

Naomé allowed her frustration to play itself out this time. She reacted almost instantaneously, brutally digging her fingernails into the material of Roxas's traveling cloak and forcing him back against the wall, cold fury and anger bringing a dangerous light to her eyes. "Look, you idiotic dolt! I promised Sora that I would find you, retrieve his Keyblade and bring it back to him in Kingdom Hearts so he can put a stop to Organization XIII and the Infiltrators for good! Now, I f you don't give it to me right now, I'm going to pound you to a pulp and _steal_ that Keyblade right off your filthy back! Furthermore, my name's not _girl_, it's Naomé Windom!"

"Naomé?" Roxas gasped. "Naomé Windom?" _Holy crap! It's her! The girl I met back in Compass City! _"How do you know I have the Keyblade?" He stuttered, flinching as Naomé pressed her forearm into his throat and began pushing down. _Geez! I know Sora told me in a dream a while back that the Second Keybearer was here somewhere, but if Naomé's the one, than I'd hate to be the one that pissed her off while she had the Keyblade in her hands! Besides, I still don't understand why the Keyblade chose her to wield it in Sora's place! And I don't think she really needs the Keyblade! She could probably kill a Heartless with her bare hands!_

For the first time in a long time, Naomé felt confused. How _did_ she know Roxas had the Keyblade on him? Had Sora told her without her knowledge? Had he somehow implanted in her brain the location of his lost Keyblade? "I don't know how I know, Roxas Avalon, but I'm one-hundred-percent certain you have the Keyblade on you!"

Roxas now realized that there wasn't much he could do. He knew that if he gave the Keyblade to Naomé, then she would become a target for the Heartless and Nobodies to enter and attack the Heart of the World. However, if he _didn't_ give the Keyblade up, Naomé might kill him for it. He decided to take his chances and bluntly confronted Naomé, all the while preparing for the worst.

"I'd like to give you the Keyblade, Naomé, but I can't. As long as I hold onto it, the Keyblade's power will be sealed, and the Heartless and Nobodies will be unable to enter this World and attack all who live in it. Now, as much as you may hate Humanity for their despising you, would you really be doing yourself any favors by unleashing such a terrible evil upon your homeland? Besides, having the Keyblade won't do you any good until you go to Kingdom Hearts. Only there can you unleash its full powers."

"Shut up! I don't care about its ultimate powers! I promised Sora I would find his Keyblade and bring it back to him, and I intend on doing so with or without your help! You may be concerned for Humanity, but all I care about is getting that Keyblade back to Sora! He needs that Keyblade back, and he needs someone to free him, and I promised that I would do both! Now, hand that Keyblade over!" Naomé dared to pin Roxas harder and harder against the wall, as though she were trying to leave a lasting impression of him in the cinderblocks.

As hard as it was for him to resist, resist Roxas did, using one of the neat little tricks Sora had taught him to get out of the pin. He hooked his leg around Naomé's and yanked it back towards himself, bringing her knee popping out of place and sending her crashing to the other knee, forcing her to release her grip on him. Roxas stepped around Naomé, a look of regret crossing his face. He hated to do that, but he wasn't going to give the Keyblade up to anybody. He'd made a vow to Sora, as well: a vow to never relinquish the Keyblade from his control, not until he could find someone he felt was strong enough to be able to free Sora from his crystalline prison back in Kingdom Hearts. To be honest, Roxas was amazed by Naomé's resolve, but he couldn't find it within himself to hand over the Keyblade. He didn't feel confident enough about her to actually violate his own vows.

Gritting her teeth in pain, Naomé found herself feeling a sharp pang of guilt enter her heart, as though she were failing someone she cared about a lot more than Sora. If she couldn't convince Roxas to give her the Keyblade, then what was she going to do? She was going to keep her promise to Sora, no matter what! She had made a promise to someone she considered her close friend, and she was determined to keep it!

Suddenly, she heard Sora's voice enter her mind like a bolt of divine intervention. It sounded far away, like he was talking to her in a whisper, yet it held within it a sense of urgency, a sudden need to act. She felt as though he were standing right next to her, whispering in her ear. _"Let's go, Naomé…it's time to meet your destiny…take my Keyblade…the Door is open…"_

Naomé felt her instincts tug her around and take her over to the edge of the Jade Dragon's roof and lead her in the direction towards another part of town…a part she'd yet to explore. As though she were in a trance, she looked over her shoulder at Roxas, who was staring at her like he'd never seen her before. She heard Sora's words enter her mind, and she proceeded to speak them aloud. "It is time for me to meet my destiny…I must take the Keyblade…the Door is open…"

Roxas felt the winds shift suddenly, the power of it making his jacket swirl about him. The wind shifted again, changing its direction. His experiences from Kingdom Hearts came back to him with a sudden jolt. Hadn't he experienced this sudden wind change back in Twilight Town, back when he'd been nothing more than a boy…? Yes, he had! And that meant only one thing…

"_Invasion!_" Roxas spoke the word that'd sprung to the forefront of his mind. His hands immediately sought out the KeyStaff and activated it, his mind on the alert for danger. The time he'd spent with Sora now awoke fro wherever it'd been sleeping in his mind, all the battles he'd had against the Heartless and Nobodies returning to him in a flash. He felt the rage that'd formed inside of him eight years ago when he'd found out that the Infiltrators and Organization XIII had used him to get Sora, and then used his beloved Naminé to get him back now come rushing back into him with a sudden raw fury, a power so intense that he could barely contain its overpowering aura. The will to fight and take his revenge against those he'd hated for so long battered at him like a rouge wave relentlessly crashes against the cliffs of some distant shoreline, wearing away at him without end. He could hear the call of battle in his ears, distant yet rapidly gaining strength as it came ever closer to him. The enemy was seeking him out, tracking him down…and he was ready for them.

_Snap!_ Naomé's mind brought her out of the trance she'd been in, Sora's voice once more entering her mind, compelling her to fight. _"Naomé, don't wait any longer…take the Keyblade, save your home as best as you can, and then come to Kingdom Hearts…I'll be waiting for you, my friend…"_

Naomé reacted without a moment's hesitation. She bolted past Roxas, mysteriously Summoning the Keyblade from thin air, the sudden appearance of the weight of the weapon nearly sending her toppling backwards as she kicked the door open and took off downstairs and back into The Jade Dragon, screaming like a demon.

Roxas recovered from his shock. He took one last glance behind him to see Dusks coming in for a landing before heading after Naomé. As he descended the stairs, he heard Sora's voice from the world beyond this one enter his own mind, and it carried the most puzzling message he'd ever heard:

"_Naomé Windom is the Second Keybearer…there is still a chance for us to save Kingdom Hearts,. pal…seek the Wind Dragon…he will lead you to the Door, Roxas…it's time for you to come home…"_

A silvery Nobody got pummeled out of the way with Roxas's KeyStaff as he shouted a warning to Naomé. "Run! Hurry! If these guys corner you in here, it'll be over!" He snarled menacingly as he threw one enemy away and immediately engaged another with a vicious rush. "You stubborn girl, _will you get going?_"

But Naomé would hear none of it. She threw herself bodily into the fight, Keyblade flashing about in her hands. _If I'm holding the Keyblade, then the Heartless and Nobodies will come after me! And that's the only way I can prove I'm the one!_ She ducked an attack, returned it with her own, and then lunged back so she was back-to-back with Roxas. "Gods…isn't there any way to get rid of these guys?" She panted, lashing out with a light-speed roundhouse kick to her right, almost catching herself in Roxas's KeyStaff.

"We could try and make a break for it outside…but I doubt we would get very far," Roxas replied solemnly, swiping out with his weapon. "Of course…there's just a little matter of getting out the door…"

"No problem! Leave it to me!" Naomé replied, letting out an almighty shout and ramming into the force of Nobodies and Heartless with her lanky body, drawing deeply into the reserves of power had previously been untapped as she thundered through like an iron-shod battering ram. She cleared a path leading to the stairs of the Jade Dragon, whereupon she took the steps three at a time down to the ground level. "Follow me, Roxas! Hurry it up!"

Gathering his breath, Roxas did something he'd only seen Sora do…he threw himself over the railing of the second floor and tumbled down to the first in a flutter of cloth and shining metal, attacking while descending. Bright and eerie crystal blue eyes gleaming beneath tousled and wild medium-golden-brown-blonde hair, Roxas Avalon fought as he never had thought possible of himself, calling upon all his skills to allow Naomé the time to escape.

A thunderbolt came screaming out of nowhere, and Roxas found himself staring from down on the floor up at an odd dragon-like Nobody that stood on its two muscular back legs and was pointing its mighty lance down at his chest. _Oh, wonderful…where's my KeyStaff? I'm…going to die in here…!_

"_Roxas!_" The roar of anger came like a bullet, Roxas's KeyStaff flying from out of his line of vision and striking the thing in the midsection, hurling it backwards. Without thinking, Roxas lunged back up onto his feet, snatched his KeyStaff and took off in a dead run, Heartless and Nobodies hot on his heels. He could hear the eerie noise that the Dusk Nobodies made when they took to the air in their fluid flight patterns, almost like they were sheets caught in the wind. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel the ground crawling with Shadow Heartless that'd taken to the pavement to pursue at greater speeds than when walking on their own two feet…his senses and instincts from back in Kingdom Hearts had returned to him in a matter of a few mere seconds.

Up ahead, Naomé was out in a full-blown run, her steps out to the fullest extent her legs could reach, enemies trailing her like odd missiles. Occasionally, she would whip around like a wild tornado and lash out with a kick or two, forcing her foes to retreat. She finally came to a grinding halt in the middle of the deserted street, and as she saw her enemies circle her and thereby effectively cutting off her retreat, launched herself at her enemies with a roar of defiance. There was obviously no stopping her as she unleashed her full assault, Keyblade attacks mingling with the most furious punches and kicks she could think of.

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Abandoned Temple_

Quite a distance away, an old, abandoned shrine stood amidst the darkness of evening and the storm. The place had long-since been left to face the tests of time alone…or so everyone thought…

It was within this building that a lone figure rested, their lean, muscular body dressed in clothes of ivory and amethyst, which contrasted sharply with their silvery-snow-white fur, reclined on a bed of tattered pillows and covered with a threadbare blanket. A single hand peeped out from beneath the blanket, flexing its sinewy fingers tipped with thick talons as the possessor of said hand battled with strange dreams…

Suddenly, the being's eyes, almost as colorless as water in a glass, snapped open as they awoke from the land of dreams, senses on high alert. There was noise outside…a storm? Yes…but also the sounds of battle…it was coming from the direction of the old school…what was going on? And there were smells…of rain, of storm clouds…of wet earth…of courage…of…

_Spilled blood…_

Willing their body to rise, the formerly sleeping creature stood tall upon the simple reed tatami-mat that covered the middle of their floor, stretching their body to loosen the stiffness of sleep before hurriedly preparing to head off in the direction of the strange scent of battle. Before they left, they snatched up an ancient _katana_, encased in a stained leather sheath, it's hilt bound with a worn, dark leather binding of what was once a light tan. Without even hesitating, the lone figure stepped out into the rain, pulled the hood of their jacket over their head, and took off in a flying leap, clearing the shrine grounds in a couple quick bounds before effortlessly hopping the fence and taking off at a breakneck run towards the direction of the battle.

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Kinomoto High School - Gymnasium_

Naomé and Roxas were standing in the middle of the Gymnasium, wet shoes squealing on the polished hardwood floor as they milled about the swarm of enemies that'd followed them from the now deserted Jade Dragon. The foes were so numerous that they were lucky to be able to see the floor at all.

Naomé felt her heart racing in her chest as she blocked, parried, thrust and guarded against the dragon-like Nobody that'd pursued her. More than once, she was nearly blasted by the force of the lance coming within inches of her unprotected body. _If only there was a way to escape…!_

_SLASH!_ Roxas cut down another enemy as he skid in front of Naomé, the black end of the KeyStaff reaching up to halt the dragon-like Nobody's lance. He got the tip of the lance caught up in his KeyStaff, the move just barely keeping the seeking lance away from his body. Grimacing, he glowered over his shoulder at Naomé, who was still fighting gamely by his side. "I thought I told you to get out of here?"

"And _I_ thought I told _you_ 'no way,' Roxas?" Naomé replied, slashing out with the Keyblade at a Heartless that'd dared to come too close for comfort. "I may be the one that's supposed to help Sora, but that doesn't mean I know how to get into Kingdom Hearts! If you know, then I'm going to stick with you until we get there!"

Roxas grinned. _She's almost as stubborn as I am._ He gave the dragon-like Nobody a savage kick, sending it hurtling backwards and away from him, flinching in agony as the tip of the lance nicked the side of his hand, causing a bleeding cut. "Rats…the vermin got me…"

Naomé turned around to see Roxas's torn hand. She scowled at him. "I thought you knew how to fight these things, Avalon!" She scolded. All of a sudden, she spun in a half-circle, taking down a Nobody that'd almost jumped her from behind. "Back off, ugly!"

"I do know how to fight them," Roxas answered calmly, ignoring the pain from his hand as he continued to wield the KeyStaff. "It's just that accidents happen, that's all. That's nothing out of the usual: a good warrior can almost guarantee himself that he's going to get a few cuts and bruises." He blasted a Heartless aside, heading towards the bleachers in hopes of gaining some ground. "Come on! This way!"

Duplicating Roxas's maneuver, Naomé barreled through the ever-growing presence of Heartless and Nobodies as she took to the bleachers. _I don't know how much longer we can keep this up! The numbers of the enemy are getting too big! We're being overwhelmed! If you're listening, Sora, find a way to get someone here to help us, and fast!_

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Central Boulevard_

Outside in the rain, the robed creature had taken to the streets, running at a pace far beyond the comprehension of a mere mortal's mind. As they very well should: they were immortal, and as such possessed speed far greater than what would've normally been theirs. Furthermore, they were a living legend, a glorified hero from another world. But, the arrival of a new warrior had caused the stories of this one to fade away into history, and so the once glorified hero had become a distant memory.

Now, as they raced the streets they'd originally avoided upon their arrival, scents of Humanity now came back with crystal clarity in the creature's mind, along with a strange new scent, one that was unfamiliar, and yet it carried with it an undeniable sense of danger and death. This was a scent they knew all too well; it was the smell of…

_Darkness!_

Allowing their nose to guide them, the creature dodged through the park, now sloppy from the rain. Water dripped and beaded off their clothes as they sped along, crossing a major street in a single bound that carried them over a raised wall and ever closer to the high school. Here was where the scents were coming from!

Silvery-white fur, musty and wet, swept about the creature's face, their pale, almost clear eyes gleaming madly with battle light. They grinned wickedly, baring razor-sharp white fangs in anticipation as they readied their ferocious taloned hands in preparation to tear asunder the first thing that moved. Taking the chicken-wire fence in a single leap, the creature landed in the old tennis courts, where Heartless and Nobodies immediately surrounded them. Not wasting precious energy, the creature fought conservatively, slashing with their talons and keeping the strange foes at bay as they sought to track down where the smells were coming from.

As they drew closer, the number of enemies increased, forcing the creature to battle with more power, their furious attacks gleaming brilliant yellow streaks in the rain, similar to the flashing lightning above and all around them. They roared like thunder, matching their might with the freak storm overhead, tearing the invaders apart mercilessly. Taking a mighty jump to the air, they gained the roof, their enemies pursuing them relentlessly. Here the battle grew more intense, the brave creature using the lesser space of the roof in comparison to the grounds below to their advantage, allowing their bare paw-like feet with thick pads to grapple against the slick concrete as they combated valiantly against the increasing numbers of the Heartless and Nobodies.

At one point, as they fell onto their back to dodge an oncoming enemy, the creature was able to see into the gymnasium through its multi-paneled glass skylight. They felt their eyes widen in terror as they realized that two Humans were inside, battling an immeasurable swarm of foes far greater than their own plight! They had to help them!

With a mighty roar, the creature lunged into the air, slashing enemies aside. As they descended back towards the rooftop, they drew the sword that'd remained stationary at their side, the blade gleaming a brilliant white as it came forth from the leather scabbard. Allowing another roar to tear open their throat, the creature bellowed a mystical incantation, causing the blade to gleam bright white once again as they brought it flashing down from behind their head and across their body in a massive arc, releasing a powerful spell from within the blade, shattering the glass and sending the attack hurtling into the bowels of the Gymnasium.

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Kinomoto High School - Gymnasium_

Roxas heard the _CRASH!_ of shattering glass up overhead, and immediately looked up to see what it was. His eyes went wide in horror as he saw the glass skylight heading towards him in a million tiny shards, along with a brilliant white flash of light. Grabbing Naomé, he lunged higher up the bleachers, covering his head as he heard glass beginning to scatter about the room. He turned at the last second to see the flash hit the ground with a sickening _BOOM!_ and a shockwave so powerful that the entire gymnasium seemed ready to crumble at a moment's notice.

Naomé battered away at fleeing Heartless and Nobodies with the Keyblade, shouting her query over the singing weapon. "Roxas, what in the name of the gods was that?" She heard shattered glass crackle beneath her shoes, snapping and popping like crystalline popcorn.

"I don't know!" Roxas replied, fending off a Dusk with his KeyStaff. "But whatever it was, there were more enemies coming in behind it! Look up above!"

Gasping, Naomé stared in terror as Shadows were melding with the walls and flowing down them like a black waterfall. Dusks rained in through the skylight, alighting on the wet floor of the basketball court and striding about in search of prey. She watched in awe as another blast of brilliant white light screamed through the opening and struck the floor again, blasting enemies airborne.

Suddenly, through the broken skylight, a solitary figure, clothed in ivory and amethyst and wielding a brilliantly shining steel blade, tumbled through in an acrobatic somersault, falling to the floor and landing atop a Dusk that'd been unable to recover from its fall fast enough. Whooping their challenge to all who could hear, they began hacking and slashing in a wild dance of singing steel and fluttering cloth and silky silver-white fur, taking down scores of enemies with sweeping passes from their blade.

Roxas felt his breath catch as he caught sight of the gladiator. What had Sora's words been? _Seek the Wind Dragon…he will lead you to the Door…_ Was _this_ the warrior his dear friend had been talking about? They must have been! He called out to the warrior over the clamor. "Hey! Werewolf! You need some help?"

_Werewolf? _Naomé thought to herself as she began plowing through the enemies to reach her new ally. _Forget waiting for answers! We need to stop these things _now!

The creature could hardly believe their eyes as they saw the Human girl come towards them, her key-like weapon slicing and dicing all who stood in her path. With a grim grin of satisfaction, the creature began moving towards the girl, planning to meet her halfway between their original distance, all the while swinging their blade like a hand-held tornado. Somehow, they felt comfortable in the presence of these two Humans that they were fighting with, as if they were fighting alongside members of their own family. They hadn't felt this comfortable and light at heart in a long time, and they were ready to feel that way once more.

Roxas, Naomé and the creature met in the middle of the bleachers, standing back-to-back and hacking away with all their might against the Nobodies and Heartless. KeyStaff, Keyblade and sword worked together in a swirling, spinning three-pronged melee attack, turning about in a whirling circle of death that cut through the swaths of fiends like corn to a scythe.

Suddenly, the strange but noble creature began a vicious onslaught with his weapon, swinging it two-handed over their head and all around. Leaping high then dropping low to the ground, sword and warrior became an impenetrable shield against attack. The new ally became a vortex the enemies were drawn to, and yet their attraction caused them to be hacked to bits by the invincible swordsman.

Naomé realized their new ally was trying to clear a path for which they could escape by. Telling Roxas to follow her, Naomé came within three paces behind the creature, using the Keyblade to keep her foes away as she headed for the doors to the outside world. She could hear Roxas behind her, the KeyStaff still seeking to destroy as many enemies as possible.

With a furious burst of energy, Roxas, Naomé and their mysterious ally broke through the final line of defenses and kicked down the doors to the gymnasium, rushing outside and into the downpour. They took to the bleachers by the baseball diamond, running along their length as they headed for the streets outside.

The strange creature ran on ahead, keeping their sword ready to defend in case of another onslaught. The glanced over their shoulder to see Naomé and Roxas following gamely along, while behind them the Nobodies and Heartless continued to pursue. With an almighty yell, the noble warrior lunged into the air and swung their blade, once more reciting the mystical incantation from earlier and sundering the entire first three rows of enemies with but a single stroke. The sight of the awesome power being unleashed made the remaining enemies flee in terror, leaving the three warriors free to escape into the stormy night.

Back in the Gymnasium, the dragon-like Nobody stepped over the remains of dozens of Heartless and Nobodies, sometimes tossing them aside with a flick of its massive lance. Suddenly, the Nobody crouched down on one knee, holding its lance in an upright salute. "Master, I have done my task."

A figure, cloaked in black, came stepping out of the black miasma that the dragon-like Nobody had sensed. He addressed the Nobody calmly. "The Keyblade…have you found it?"

"Yes," The Nobody replied, bowing its head onto its chest. "However, the one wielding it was not the Chosen One. It was…another…a female, not a male."

"Of course," The Organization XIII member said ponderously, touching a gloved hand to their hood. "The true Chosen One has been locked away for almost a decade. Did you find the Guardian?"

The Nobody nodded. "I did. The one they call Roxas Avalon was here, wielding the KeyStaff. At one point, I heard him call the girl the 'Second Keybearer.' Does that mean anything to us?"

_Roxas! He's here? _"It does indeed, Keldar," They replied, nodding themselves. "This Guardian is a renegade of the Organization, one who seeks a way to gain his friend back." He looked up towards the dragon-like Nobody. "Go, Keldar. Keep an eye on our friends and lead them to the Door. However, do not approach them unless I tell you to."

Slowly, Keldar rose to their feet. "I hear your words, Master. I shall go."

"Good. Remember…we need the Second Keybearer. Help her any way you can."

The dragon-like Nobody bowed then turned and walked out into the rain.

The figure waited until his "servant" was gone. He pulled his hood back, pale, almost spectral face studying the battlefield. Axel Balthazar whistled in awe. "Gods, Rox…you did it! You found the Second Keybearer! It won't be long before Sora shows back up. And, when he does, I'd hate to be an Infiltrator or Organization member." He smiled smugly at the thought that crossed his mind. _Fortunately for me, I won't have to worry about that when the time comes…_


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Door to Kingdom Hearts

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Abandoned Temple_

Back at the Abandoned Temple, Roxas and Naomé found themselves seated inside of the small building that their newest ally lived in, each with an old blanket wrapped about their shoulders as cloaks to help them stay warm.

"Who is that guy?" Roxas asked Naomé as they watched the creature step outside to check for any signs of the Heartless and Nobodies.

Naomé shrugged. "I don't know. But, he must be pretty powerful. Did you see what he was doing? Gods, he must have the strength of ten men in his body! And besides, I'm not going to complain, especially since he save my hide."

Roxas thought about it for a moment. When he looked back at her, he couldn't help but nod. "I'm forced to agree. In addition, that sword must be a magic one, because I've never seen a sword do the things that one did back there! That's no ordinary sword!"

"You would be correct. SaigaSama _is_ no ordinary sword."

Shocked, Roxas and Naomé looked up to see the noble creature standing in the doorway, dripping with rain. Now that he was standing still, they were able to get a better look at him. He was indeed a man-like wolf, but one unlike either one of them had ever seen before. He was tall and thin, dressed simply in an ivory shirt and hooded regal amethyst purple jacket that came down to his knees. The ivory shirt came from within the jacket sleeves, and the form-fitted material came all the way down his powerful arms, covering the backs of his paws and leaving his fingers free to move as they pleased. He wore jean-like pants that, like his sleeves, were similar in design to his shirt, with the legs coming down and protecting his feet, covering the arches in the material.

His hands were sinewy, with dexterous fingers tipped with ivory claws for fingernails, each of these claws dangerous in their own right. He had thick silver-white fur that (presumably) covered his entire body, with facial markings similar to that of a wolf's. His keen eyes, virtually clear, took everything in with a powerful, fearless gaze that bespoke a mighty warrior. And, right above those eyes, was a pair of wide, triangular-shaped black ears, ever on the alert for signs of danger.

Naomé suddenly felt unsure of herself as she caught the gaze of the creature, and she even found herself wondering what he would do about them talking about his sword. And _what_ was that ridiculous name that he'd just called it? _SaigaSama?_ What on Earth did _that_ mean?

The creature walked quietly over to the place that he called his bed and plopped down before the two Humans that he'd just rescued. He hadn't spoken to another soul in a very long time, and he suddenly found it within himself unable to speak to them. No, it wasn't because he didn't want to talk to them, he just didn't know how to explain his story.

Roxas decided to break the ice. He gave his rescuer a friendly yet bashful smile, as though embarrassed of his own skills as a warrior. "Hey, you were pretty good back there. You really know how to fight with that sword of yours, don't you? You were awesome!"

Oddly enough, the creature blinked, as though surprised by such compliments. He responded to Roxas with a slight tilt of his head and an answer that took both Humans off guard. "Huh, you should not put yourselves down like that. You were doing pretty well back there yourselves. It has been a long time since I ever saw Humans fight as well as you did!"

Naomé flinched in shock. "You're not Human? But, you _look_ it!"

The creature shrugged nonchalantly. "I am in some ways. But, because of what I truly am, I am stronger than Humans but not all-powerful. That is why I could do what I did back there."

"_Somewhat_ Human?" Roxas echoed. "Might I guess you're part wolf?"

"Watch yourself," Naomé hissed in Roxas's ear. "He might not like that."

The creature heard her. "I do not mind. I am used to it. And, truth be told, I am a special kind of wolf: I am known as a celestial werewolf. I used to be around Humans a lot, and I got angry because I always heard them talking about me behind my back. However, when I got to be friends with a few of them, I learned that Humans did not understand my power, or me, so they did not trust me. It was only natural for them to not trust what they didn't understand. Also, I learned I could best use my power to protect Humans, even though I was never really too fond of them."

"And now?" Naomé asked.

"It has been many years since I have had any direct contact with Humans. I have not really done much of anything as far as initiating contact, seeing as it did not seem to make any big difference. I have done what I could to protect everyone, but it is pretty lonely without anybody to talk to." The creature shook his head sadly. "There has been many times through the years that I have wished for somebody to notice that I still existed and to talk to me, but until tonight my wish was not granted."

Naomé felt sorry for this strange wolf-like creature. However, she could only understand what he felt. She surprised everybody there, including herself, when she spoke up. "I know exactly how you feel about being lonely. I've always been forced to live my life virtually alone, with no one but my own mother acknowledging my existence. Consider yourself lucky that you were able to get some peace and quiet. I've never gotten that since I was born."

The creature could sense the hostility and bitterness in Naomé's voice, and he suddenly recalled that these were the same feelings that he'd once harbored within his own heart. He came before her, crouched on his hands on knees as he studied her features. Suddenly, he unearthed within himself the words to say.

"It must be difficult for you to have to live in these modern times and be forced to deal with what I have for so many years. Believe me, back in my earliest days, I had a difficult time coping with my own differences and the hostility it brought against me. However, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would one day have the fate of the lives of many resting in my hands. But, I can tell you do not have any friends. It is obvious by the loneliness in your eyes that you do not. If it makes you feel any better, I know there is loneliness in my eyes, as well. Perhaps we can find a way to overcome our differences together."

Roxas felt something within himself trigger. _Sora said something similar to that once!_ He could only watch as the creature sat down before Naomé, the two of them appearing to be perfectly content with one another's company. He snapped out of his dream to see the wolf staring hard at him. Inside of himself, he felt a startled panic manifest. He flinched visibly. "What are you staring at?"

"You do not have any friends either, do you?"

Warily, Roxas struggled to explain his friendship with Sora. "Well…I did a long time ago, but he's imprisoned somewhere, and I have no way to free him." He looked up and boldly locked eyes with the wolfish creature. "In some ways, I guess you could say my friend is dead, and I'm trying to bring him back."

"Is he the one that taught you how to fight?"

Roxas nodded. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here. I was supposed to die, but he saved me. Since then, he was my best friend. No one could ever take his place. I love him like a brother."

The kind-hearted creature came closer to Roxas. "What happened to him?"

"He became the sworn enemy of two very powerful groups, and they worked together to destroy him. They used his heart against him, and then imprisoned him in a dungeon made of crystal and put him in a magical sleep."

"They enchanted him _and_ locked him up? Gods, what an unlucky one."

Roxas became irritated. "Sora was one of the luckiest people ever! He had so many friends! I was only fortunate enough to know some of those friends…I never got to know them all…" He trailed off, his mind heading back into the depressed state it'd been in eight years before.

Naomé felt bad for Roxas. _Roxas…you miss Sora so much…I hope I can help you get him back…for your sake…Sora…we're coming…just let us find a way into Kingdom Hearts, and then you can walk free again…the Keyblade will be yours once more…_

The wolfish individual went back to his "bed," whereupon he sat down cross-legged and stared hard at them both. His tail flicked about as though it had a life of its own, occasionally whipping up to strike his hand. "Tell me, what are your names?"

Seeing as Roxas was unable to speak, Naomé introduced them both. "I am Naomé Windom, and this is my friend, Roxas Avalon. I've just met him, but he's right now the only friend I've got."

Roxas shot Naomé a look of respect. _Thank you, Naomé…you're my friend, too…_

The canine nodded. He then touched a hand to his chest, speaking his own name. "KazeRyu. I am called KazeRyu."

Naomé was stunned by her mind suddenly translating his name from her father's native language. _KazeRyu? Wait a minute…"Wind Dragon"…?_

Roxas noticed the look of shock on Naomé's face. "Naomé, what's going-"

"His name means 'Wind Dragon'…" Naomé said slowly.

KazeRyu allowed a faint smile to light on his face. "Well done."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Roxas butted in. "Does this 'Wind Dragon' have a sharp nose that can pick up just about anything?" When he got puzzling looks from KazeRyu and Naomé, he immediately flew into a mini-tantrum. "Look, Sora told me to seek out one he said was called the 'Wind Dragon'. Naomé, if KazeRyu's name translates to _Wind Dragon_, and he's just told us that's true, then he knows how to get to the door to Kingdom Hearts!"

Naomé glared severely at Roxas Avalon. "I thought _you_ knew how to get there."

"I don't remember where it is!" Roxas replied. "However, Sora told me the 'Wind Dragon' would be able to find it for us! I don't know why, but that's what he said!"

KazeRyu suddenly seemed to be aware of something. "I think I know why…since I am related to wolves, then that means I have a sharp nose, and I can sniff out just about anything…including any kind of secret doors. If you are saying you are looking for the 'Door' to Kingdom Hearts, then maybe what your friend means is that I might be able to find it by smell."

Roxas laughed triumphantly. "Yes, yes! _That's_ what Sora meant! He wants us to trust you to find the Door to Kingdom Hearts for us, since we don't have as strong a sense of smell as a 'Wind Dragon' would! Would you help us find it, KazeRyu?"

"Well…"

Naomé impulsively reached out and touched KazeRyu's hand. "Please, KazeRyu? You can come with us if you'd like. I wouldn't mind, would you, Roxas?"

Roxas shrugged. "I don't have any objections. KazeRyu's nose might be able to help us find Sora, too. As far as I'm concerned, he's welcome to follow along as long as he wants to."

KazeRyu thought hard. _I actually have the chance to make some friends of my own…I am able to not just defend the lives of everyone, but focus my defense on my friends. My family…is this your doing?_ "All right. I will help you. And, I will take you up on your offer for me to go with you. I have to be honest, it _was_ getting a little too quiet around here. I need some action once in a while."

Shedding the blanket on his back, Roxas stood up and took a hold of his KeyStaff. "Well, before those Heartless and Nobodies show up again, I suggest we start looking for the Door to Kingdom Hearts. We want to get back there before they do."

Naomé nodded gravely.

_Key Islands – Japan - Tokyo – Central Boulevard_

"So, refresh my memory: explain what the Heartless and the Nobodies are."

Roxas vaulted over a wide puddle with his KeyStaff. "Heartless and Nobodies are the lackeys of the Infiltrators and Organization XIII, the two groups that Sora was the sworn enemy of. Heartless prey on the hearts of both people and the worlds they live in, wishing to corrupt them and take control of them by means of brute force."

"And the Nobodies?" KazeRyu asked, hop-skipping another puddle.

"Nobodies are the result of what happens when a Heartless steals a person's heart. When a body is left behind without a heart, it becomes a Nobody. Nobodies work with the Heartless to try and corrupt Worlds so they can control them. From what Sora told me, Nobodies follow the Heartless because _they _want the hearts instead. With those hearts, a Nobody can become more powerful, and eventually be able to enter Kingdom Hearts and discover who they once were."

Naomé frowned. "What does Organization XIII have to do with all of this?"

"When a particularly strong Nobody gains enough hearts, they are able to become a sentient being, take on a name, and become relatively Human. This can also happen when a particularly strong heart gets stolen; their body becomes more dangerous, since it now doesn't have a 'compass' to keep them on the right path. Nobodies such as these can become members of the group named Organization XIII, and thereby be able to compensate for the fact that they don't have a heart by preying on the hearts of others."

KazeRyu snorted. "Sounds like a real pack of demons to me."

Roxas pondered the idea for a moment. "Yeah, they're kind of like demons, in a way." _And to think I once wanted to become one of those 'demons'…_

Naomé suddenly shouted a warning. "_Heartless!_" She pointed down the street, revealing a rather large group of Shadows and Soldiers heading their direction. When their enemies caught sight of them, they began charging towards them, noiselessly preparing an all-out assault.

KazeRyu grinned confidently. "All right! Now _this_ is more like it! I am going to give these guys something to think about! C'mon, Roxas!" He took off at a dead run, drawing SaigaSama from its scabbard, swung the weapon without breaking stride, and called upon the mighty attack he'd used back in the gymnasium. Now, Naomé could clearly hear the spell he'd cast from before. "_Devastating Howl!_"

Roxas and Naomé stared in awe as the blade unleashed a powerful blast that went screaming into the wall of charging foes, the collision with their bodies causing a massive explosion that sent enemies flying sky-high. The attack was so powerful that it completely ripped up the asphalt on the street, leaving deep, wide gouges in the ground that looked like a gigantic beast had slashed it open.

Naomé ducked as he began swinging his sword about, destroying enemies with powerful sweeps that would allow him to carry on in great cleaving circles while continuing on his search for the Door to Kingdom Hearts. _Gods, this guy is _good!_ I wish _I_ could learn to fight like that!_

Suddenly, from out of the blue, a powerful slash tore a path into the enemies, and a massive shadow blocked KazeRyu's path. The various Heartless cowered before the mighty being that stood before them, until they finally turned tail and ran away.

Roxas came to a screeching halt, almost crashing into KazeRyu and Naomé as he skidded on the rain-soaked asphalt. They all stared up in shock as the figure finally turned towards them, revealing that they were the dragon-like Nobody.

"You!" Naomé spluttered. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came to find you," The Nobody replied, putting their spear up.

This motion confused Roxas. _It's a Nobody that can talk, and it's not going to attack us? What's going on?_ He spoke up. "What kind of Nobody are you?"

"I am one of the kind they call the Dragoon, but my task here is not to harm you. My orders instead are to find you and reveal to you where the Door lies."

Naomé was stunned. "You're an enemy, and yet you're going to help us? Why?"

"I have been given my orders," The Dragoon replied. "And I must obey them. My master, Axel, wants you to return to Kingdom Hearts with the Keyblade."

"Axel?" Roxas queried. He leapt in front of KazeRyu, brandishing his KeyStaff. "You must mean Axel Balthazar!" _Who else would it be? Axel, did you come looking for me? Why now?_

Naomé peeked over KazeRyu's shoulder. "Roxas, this Nobody is giving us the break of a lifetime. Why ruin it? Take it and run with it, I say! We can figure out who sent them afterwards!"

Roxas considered this for a moment. Wasn't it his duty to act in Sora's stead, to destroy those who threatened to steal the hearts of the innocent and use them for evil purposes? Or was it his duty to guard the Keyblade until he could get it safely back in Sora's hands? _My real duty is to avenge Sora's capture, and the only way I can do that is to return to Kingdom Hearts and defeat those who did that to him!_

Reluctantly, Roxas put up his KeyStaff. He glanced over his shoulder at KazeRyu and Naomé, his voice flat and hard. "Get going. We're going to find the Door to Kingdom Hearts." He turned back to face the Dragoon, eyes blazing. "Hear me out, Nobody. If I discover that you played us false, then I will hunt you down, slay you and ask the pardon of my friends afterward! Understood?"

The Dragoon nodded. They pointed over towards the location of the old subway station. "There is the Door that you seek. But be on your guard, for there will be many foes awaiting your entrance."

"How do we find it? The Door, I mean?" Naomé asked.

"The Door is hidden where none of short sight can see it…only by the light of day can it be revealed to those who are truly worthy. To get to it, one must be willing to risk everything, even death, to reach the Door to Kingdom Hearts. I know nothing else."

KazeRyu scowled darkly. _Just as I thought…it is not easy to leave Kingdom Hearts, but it is extremely difficult to enter or re-enter. I wonder if Roxas and I can return there…_

The Dragoon Nobody turned away and began walking down the street. Suddenly, they stopped. "There is one more thing I know. Axel told me that the Door is in a place that people normally don't go to. It is within the building I showed you, but I am unaware of the Door's exact location."

Roxas nodded tersely in the Dragoon's direction. "We'll find it, Nobody. Watch!"

_Key Islands – Japan - Old Tokyo – Forgotten Subway_

KazeRyu sped along the streets in the direction of the old subway station. "I just do not get it! Why would someone have the not-so-bright idea to put a door in a place people normally would not go to? Is that not just inviting those who are stupid enough to investigate to risk breaking their necks?"

"Oh, so you mean people like us?" Naomé snarled. "_Thanks_, KazeRyu!"

"No! I mean people that really have no business looking for it in the first place! We, on the other hand, have a legitimate reason for looking: we need to get to what is on the other side of it! We need to return to Kingdom Hearts!"

"That's very true," Roxas replied. "However, why _would_ somebody place a door where nobody can get to it? Doesn't that defeat the entire purpose of putting the door there in the first place? And besides, where would you put a door like that?"

Naomé wiped the rain out of her eyes. "Crap…it's starting to rain again. Personally, if I wanted to put a door in a place where people normally don't go, then it would be somewhere that had restricted access. People that weren't supposed to be in a certain area wouldn't be able to get to the door at all, while those that could most certainly would. However, I can bet you right now that the one who wields the Keyblade can only open the Door to Kingdom Hearts. After all, what's the point of finding a door if you can't get to what's on the other side?"

"So, you mean that the Door could be hiding anywhere where there might be a cause for restricted access to be necessary?" Roxas asked. "Does that mean then that anything that says 'Employees Only' could be counted as a place of restricted access?"

"Exactly."

KazeRyu suddenly felt something _click_ in his mind. "That is it! I remember something about that old subway station! There was a clock tower on top of it, and that was a place that was definitely marked with 'restricted access'! I saw it once! Also, that is a place people normally wouldn't travel to, considering that the tower was so tall! And the front of the tower was paneled with glass, so the sunlight could come in!"

"That means that the door has to be somewhere in the clock tower!" Naomé said resolutely. "So, we need to find some stairs or something that will take us up that high!"

"Problem, though," Roxas interjected. "I found those stairs, but they were nothing but ruined! Even a ghost wouldn't try ascending those stairs for fear of being unable to catch themselves in mid-fall! So that means that we're going to have to think of another way to get up to the door!"

Suddenly, Naomé remembered what Roxas said back at the old temple. "Wait…Roxas, didn't you say Sora's voice told you to seek KazeRyu out, that he could lead us to the Door to Kingdom Hearts?"

Roxas grunted. "Yeah. But, how's that gonna help us out, eh?"

KazeRyu offered up his idea. "Well, I can run really fast, but that also means I can jump higher than anybody. So, maybe I can use my jumping skills to get you up there?" He looked back over his shoulder at Naomé. "Does that sound like a good idea to you?"

Naomé grinned. "A brilliant idea, KazeRyu! And, considering that the door to the tower's inside, we have to go up through the inside of the clock tower to get to the Door. And after that, we have to think of a way to turn the light of day on it."

"Great. That means we're going to have to spend all night in a dark tower waiting and hoping for these rotten storm clouds to lift so that the stupid Sun can come in and show us that stupid Door," Roxas said sarcastically, adjusting his grip on the KeyStaff. "I can hardly wait."

"The way you keep going on about things, we are not going to need to wait for the Sun to come up," KazeRyu growled. "We have got our own bright little ray of sunshine with us!"

"Shut up!"

"Enough," Naomé warned. "We're coming up on the station right now. Keep your eyes peeled. We never know when they're going to strike."

Roxas had the sudden feeling that something wasn't right. He took the KeyStaff from over his shoulder and let fly with it like a boomerang, striking a crack in the ground. He grunted with satisfaction as he saw a giant snake-like Nobody come popping up out of the ground and then dive back underneath it. "Watch out, guys! Those are Assassins, another kind of Nobody! Those guys can _really_ hurt! Trust me, I've faced plenty of them before I came here!"

KazeRyu smirked. "Do not worry about them, Naomé. They will not get in _my_ way!" He proved his point by executing a perfectly timed jump right over an Assassin's back, landing on the steps to the subway station. Without breaking stride, he dodged around a Soldier that took a swipe at him, answering the attack with a flash of his talons. "_Swift Shadow Strike!_"

_Hmph. At least _he_ has an alternate source of weapons,_ Roxas thought irritably as he began fending off an Assassin that'd dared to come close to him. _In the mean time, I have to fight these things with only my wits and my KeyStaff! Damned KazeRyu! For once could he just help me out?_

Naomé noticed Roxas's plight, and instantly began ordering KazeRyu to turn back. "KazeRyu! Roxas needs our help! He can't get any closer than the bottom of the steps! Please, help him out!"

KazeRyu snorted. "We do not need him, Naomé. We can find the Door to Kingdom Hearts just as easily without him. Why carry along extra baggage?"

"Because that extra baggage knows how to handle what's on the other side of that door, _that's_ what!" Naomé shot back. "Now, you may like an adventure, and you may like to take risks, but you can do that whenever you gods-be-blasted well feel like it! You're strong enough to handle things like this! Roxas and I aren't, and I'm not going to go into Kingdom Hearts without him! Besides, Sora is _his_ friend, and Sora wants me to help Roxas set him free! Now, _get back there!_"

"Oh, all right," KazeRyu groaned, making a deft turn and heading back towards Roxas. He cleared the steps in a single bound, snagged Roxas by the back of his robes, spun on his heels again, and cleared the distance from his current position to the top of the stairs in another single giant leap. Aggravated that he had to turn back, he roughly shook Roxas like a dog would shake his favorite chew toy. "Listen, you! You had better thank Naomé for telling me to come back and get you, because if I had had my way you would have been left to fight those monsters off alone!"

Roxas leered at KazeRyu, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Gee, Wind Dragon, that was so nice of you to go out of your way to save me. I'm _really_ grateful." He wriggled in KazeRyu's powerful grasp, struggling to break free before he suffered any further injury to his dignity. "Let go of me, KazeRyu! We've got to find that door in the clock tower!"

"Heads up!" Naomé shouted. "There's an Assassin coming! Move, Dragon!"

"_Dragon?_" KazeRyu yelped as he leapt back and away from the Assassin, giving him plenty of room to swing his sword. He cut the Assassin down with a mighty _SLASH!_

Barging into the main hall of the old subway station, KazeRyu began fiercely berating Naomé for the nickname she'd just so unceremoniously given him like a father that was lecturing his young daughter for using inappropriate language. "Naomé, what in the name of Kingdom Hearts possessed you and gave you the idea of nicknaming me '_Dragon?_' Never, _ever_ call me 'Dragon' again!"

Naomé tumbled off KazeRyu's back, Keyblade in hand as she began attacking the Heartless and Nobodies with a ferocity borne out of both anticipation and desperation. She stood back-to-back with KazeRyu, Keyblade singing about in her quickly adapting hands. "All right, all right! I won't call you 'Dragon' anymore! Just get rid of these fiends and get Roxas and I up to that damned door so we can save Sora like we promised we would!"

Roxas fought like a madman would, the KeyStaff a blur of motion about him. He found himself backed up against the edge of the topmost step leading to the terminals down below, and it he used it to the fullest advantage possible. Careful so as not to lose his balance, he fought at an angle perpendicular to that of the step, always ensuring that the stairs were at his back. He was finally able to come against the great pillars that supported the upper levels of the structure, and immediately shifted his tactics, having the greater girth of the column support his back as he fought from the front, beating back the enemies that'd so doggedly pursued him.

Growling savagely, KazeRyu unleashed his full strength, colliding bodily with enemies and sending them scattering like shrapnel would from an explosion, all the while hacking away with talons and blade. He spoke to Naomé through gritted fangs. "If this keeps up, we are _never_ going to make it to that door! Let us get to Roxas and try to ascend the clock tower, before we cannot even move two paces!"

Gritting her teeth, Naomé nodded. She wondered what Sora would've done as she sent herself blasting into the evil army, roaring and yelling like a berserker as she unleashed the most powerful flurry of combos that she'd ever done thus far, occasionally sending an enemy into the air as she hacked her way towards Roxas and the pillar he was backed up against.

Roxas, meanwhile, was hard pressed and running out of options. Unlike Sora, Roxas wasn't a true veteran of battles, and was thus inexperienced in the art of true melee combat. He could hold his own, but only as long as he had someone within a relatively close range to protect his back. This way, against the column, he was not faring well, each strike from the Heartless and Nobodies forcing him to compact himself harder and harder against the pillar, each motion further cutting into his range of motion. It wouldn't be long before he would be unable to swing the KeyStaff, and thus be forced to defend the remainder of his shortened lifespan.

"_Swift Shadow Strike!_" KazeRyu came bursting through the foe at the last moment, Naomé at his back and doing quite well despite her inexperience with using the Keyblade. The werewolf grabbed Roxas by the collar of his shirt and flung him onto his back like one would toss a sack of grain. "You Humans are so predictable! You survive one little skirmish, then you think you can conquer the World in a heartbeat! It is not that simple! Now, hold on while I get Naomé. We are going to climb the clock tower, demons or no!"

"They're called _Heartless and Nobodies!_" Roxas corrected his wolfish savior.

"Whatever! Just hold on!"

KazeRyu scooped Naomé up under his left arm and held SaigaSama diagonally across his chest, edge of the blade pointing outwards. He bulled a Nobody over in its attempts to stop him, and then gave a mighty jump that sent him into a pillar twenty feet away. Quickly gathering his strength up again, he gave another leap, this one taking him higher up into the tower, allowing him to land on a beam at the base of the glass windows. He shrugged Naomé and Roxas off, preparing his sword in the event of striking down more enemies. "Start looking for the Door! Hurry up!"

Naomé glanced uneasily at Roxas. "How are we supposed to find the Door to Kingdom Hearts when it's pitch-black outside? And we most certainly can't last all night against the Heartless and Nobodies!"

Roxas scratched his head in thought. "Well, Sora once told me the _Keyblade_ can find the Door to Kingdom Hearts, but I don't remember how…if I could, then we wouldn't need to wait until morning to find the door! But how…? How did Sora say how to find a door with the Keyblade…?"

Desperately, Naomé said a silent prayer in hopes that Sora's noble spirit might hear her. _Sora, you once told Roxas that the Keyblade could find the Door to Kingdom Hearts…we need to know how to do that so we can save you and ourselves. Please, help us find the Door to Kingdom Hearts…!_

Suddenly, Naomé was aware of a strange sensation coming from the Keyblade. Somehow, it was warmer than usual. She looked down and was amazed to see that the end of the Keyblade was glowing a bright bluish-white! "Roxas!" She said, her voice an excited whisper. "Look! The Keyblade! It's glowing! What does that mean?"

"What?" Roxas grumbled, turning away from his thoughts. However, when he turned to face Naomé and the glowing Keyblade, his eyes went wide with shock. "Naomé…! How…? You _did _it!" He flashed her a brilliant smile. "You did it! That's what Sora said what happens when the Keyblade senses the Door to Kingdom Hearts being nearby! That Dragoon was right! The Door _is_ in the tower!"

"Well, that's great, but…how do we _open_ the door?" Naomé asked.

"Like _this!_" Roxas said, taking Naomé's hand on the hilt of the Keyblade. He allowed the Keyblade to guide his hand by itself, using the brilliant glow of the wondrous weapon to pinpoint the location of the door. He felt the power in Sora's Keyblade suddenly discharge, resulting in a bluish-white flash that struck the face of the clock right where the giant hands connected to their driving mechanisms.

Naomé gasped in awe as she watched the flash turn into a glowing orb that centered itself on one of the panels that made up the clock's face. A loud _click_ could be heard from within the gleam, as though a key had released a lock. It was, in fact, the Keyblade unlocking the lock on the Door to Kingdom Hearts!

"That's it!" Roxas breathed. "We found it!" Suddenly, he called out to KazeRyu. "Hey, KazeRyu! We found it! We've found the Door to Kingdom Hearts! It's _in_ the clock face!"

"Good job!" KazeRyu grunted. "You could not have found it at a better time! Those demons are climbing up the tower from both the inside _and_ the outside! If you are going to jump through that Door, then you had better do it now!"

Naomé shook her head. "We can't reach it! It's too high up and too far away! We're going to need you to help us out, KazeRyu!"

KazeRyu spun on his heels, as though he didn't believe Naomé's words. However, when he saw the door, he realized with a sickening blow to his confidence that Naomé was all too right. The Door to Kingdom Hearts _was_ too far away for them to reach. They were going to require his assistance once again. Ignoring the fact that the enemy was gaining quickly, KazeRyu made a split-second decision. He threw all caution to the winds as he took to the air, shouting out his instructions. "Stay right where you are! I am coming up to get you! We are going to enter Kingdom Hearts _together!_"

_Together_… Naomé felt a sudden thrill at the word. The only time she'd ever understood that word's meaning was when her mother used it to describe them as a "family." She couldn't help but feel a deep pang of regret strike deep within her heart, so deep that the pain was almost unbearable. She was leaving her mother…would she ever see her again?

Another burst of energy brought KazeRyu soaring up behind his two newfound friends, grabbing them as he took a final leap straight up into the clock face. His feet contacted with a major gear just as the clock struck midnight, cleared the final distance between the three of them and the magical doorway, and fearlessly entered the light.

And so, KazeRyu, Roxas Avalon, and Naomé Windom entered Kingdom Hearts.


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hollow Bastion

_Hollow Bastion - Marketplace_

_Gosh, Hollow Bastion hasn't changed much_, Roxas found himself thinking as he, KazeRyu and Naomé plodded along silently through the deserted cobblestone-paved streets of the eerie Hollow Bastion. _In fact, it's remained exactly the same as when I last saw it ten years ago. After the last time I'd come here with Sora, I'd never returned here. I wonder if Leon and the others are all right…_

"What's on your mind, Roxas?" Naomé's voice cut into his thoughts.

"This place…this was where it all started," Roxas said, halfway talking to himself. He turned towards KazeRyu and Naomé. "Sixty years ago, a man named Ansem discovered the Heartless. Of course, he was accredited with only discovering them, but he actually learned about the Nobodies, too. Anyway, Ansem started conducting experiments on the Heartless: how they were created, what they did, how they acted, everything. Of course, as time wore on, the streets of what was then called Radiant Garden became ravaged with Heartless, thereby giving rise to the name _Hollow Bastion._"

Naomé was stunned. _Sixty years ago? Why, my own mother wasn't even born then! My grandparents were just little kids! Good God, no wonder there's so many of them!_ "What else did this Ansem guy do?"

"Well, one day, Xehanort, Ansem's apprentice, took over the experiments, killed off his mentor, stole his name and further continued creating Heartless. By that time, things got so bad that many people left Hollow Bastion and went elsewhere, leaving Hollow Bastion as a breeding ground for the tainted beings that they came to call 'the Heartless.' Since then, the Heartless and their Nobody counterparts have existed, preying on the hearts of the innocent and the hearts of the various worlds they call home."

KazeRyu was grim as he spoke. "That is a revelation that is an extremely dangerous one for anyone to think about, let alone live through. And the problem with it is that has already happened, and it has been happening for many years."

Roxas explained. "Ansem's research discovered that the Heartless not only preyed on people, but on what he called the 'Hearts of the Worlds.' His theory was that every World has a 'Heart,' the lifeblood that keeps it going no matter what comes its way. However, should the Heartless attack and corrupt this Heart, they can then overrun the 'infected' Worlds and take possession of them."

"So, they're basically creating more Hollow Bastions," Naomé commented dryly.

"Yes. And eventually, they'd take over _all_ the Worlds, eliminating the Light."

"That is correct, Roxas," KazeRyu replied. "And _that_ is also a problem."

Roxas nodded. "That's why we need Sora. He has the power to use the Keyblade to 'Seal' the Heart of each World, preventing it from being corrupted by the Heartless. Furthermore, the Keyblade is a weapon feared by the Heartless and the Nobodies, so in the hands of the Keybearer it is a weapon not only to be feared of but also to be avoided at all costs. Of course, there still remains the task of finding him, but I'm sure we'll find a way. I learned from my time with Sora that Organization XIII wasn't exactly good at 'cleaning up' after themselves. They left plenty of loose ends to trace."

Naomé nodded. "Well, let's hope one of those 'loose ends' leads to Sora."

"The last time I was here, Sora was locked away in a hidden chamber beneath Disney Castle," Roxas answered. "Since then, I don't know. I mean, we _could_ go back and take a look in Disney Castle, but, to be honest, I _really don't_ want to go back there. There's a lot of bad memories back there that I don't care to remember at the moment."

"Like _what?_" KazeRyu pressed, tapping the back of Roxas's neck with a talon.

Roxas slapped the claw away. "I don't want to talk about it!"

"KazeRyu! Leave Roxas alone!" Naomé scolded the wolfish warrior.

As Roxas turned a corner, he suddenly realized with astonishing clarity where he was headed. _This was the way Sora always took to Merlin's house, to check up on everybody! I wonder if they're all there now?_

Naomé noticed Roxas stop dead in his tracks. "Roxas, what is it? Did you see Sora?"

"No," Roxas replied slowly. "I know where we're heading now. We're going to check up some friends of Sora's and mine. I want to see if they're all right. I doubt they're still in Hollow Bastion, considering things have gotten so bad around here."

"Do you realize we have not found any Heartless or Nobodies yet?" KazeRyu asked.

"He's got a point," Naomé remarked. "Maybe your friends went and got Sora out while you were gone, and he could already be-"

"No!" Roxas snapped. "How could Sora save Kingdom Hearts without his Keyblade?"

KazeRyu scowled. "I guess Roxas is right. From what he has been telling us, Sora and the Keyblade were inseparable." But then his keen senses caught onto something. He readied his talons, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Something is coming this way! Prepare yourselves!"

The three warriors jumped behind the corner, KazeRyu's eyes peering out from over a pile of crates that served as makeshift cover. He watched the square for any signs of what he'd sensed, keeping his talons at the ready. _I'm so pissed about these damned Heartless and Nobodies! And what makes it even worse is that Sora, Master of the Keyblade, hasn't been here to help out! Gods! why do _I_ always have to worry about cleaning up after the mess that the Master of the Keyblade made?_

Naomé peered around the outer edge of the "wall," suddenly catching a glimpse of a figure stepping out into the square. "KazeRyu, look! There's someone out there! You can see better than I can! Can you tell us what they look like?"

Turning his attention back to the square, KazeRyu studied the figure carefully. "Well, I think they are a man. And if 'he' is, then he is about my height, with shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a black leather jacket with a fur collar trim, a white T-shirt, black jeans and matching leather boots. He has these funny-looking gloves on, and he is carrying a big sword…it looks something like a…"

"A gun?" Roxas whispered excitedly.

"Yeah! It does!" KazeRyu whispered back, astonished. "Hilt and everything!"

A great big grin spread across Roxas's features. He grabbed Naomé by the shoulders, nearly suffocating her as he threw his arms around her in a gigantic hug. "The Gunblade! That's Leon!" He popped up from around the crates and began taking off.

Naomé, although dazed, tried to stop him. "Roxas, wait! It could be a trick! That might be a Heartless!" She warned hurriedly.

"No Heartless could ever duplicate Leon!" Roxas fired back. Throwing caution to the winds, he threw himself into the open, calling out to the strange person. "_Hey, Leon!_"

The figure turned at the sound of Leon's name being called. Suddenly, they stopped, eyes wide in disbelief. "What the…? Roxas! Roxas Avalon, is that you?"

Roxas laughed triumphantly. "Leon! It _is_ you! Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Where've you been?" Leon asked, pounding Roxas on the back. "I knew that you didn't just disappear into thin air! How've you been? Where's Sora?"

_I hate to tell him, but I guess I'm going to have to…_ "Leon, Sora's…" Roxas started.

Suddenly, both Roxas and Leon heard an explosive noise behind them. Swirling on their heels, they managed to catch a woman dressed in black like Leon and armed with a giant shuriken almost as big as herself being flung over the crates KazeRyu and Naomé had been hiding behind, followed quickly by KazeRyu's thunderous battle cry.

Roxas was delighted. "Yuffie!"

"Roxas?" The woman gasped, shocked by Roxas's appearance. However, her attention was distracted by the sudden appearance of KazeRyu climbing over the wooden crates. She threw Roxas a quick glance and a hurried apology as she jumped up into a crouch and then threw herself into a back flip and into the air, hurling the shuriken towards the charging KazeRyu.

KazeRyu instantly realized that he was facing someone that was not one to take battle lightly. True, this girl used a giant shuriken instead of a sword like SaigaSama, but she was just as dangerous. Unwilling to be beaten back, KazeRyu let out with a ferocious roar and did what he did best…_attack! _He flung his right paw back behind his body, then brought it whipping back around to the front as fast as he could. His talons ignited in brilliant bluish-white light as he called out the name of his maneuver. "_Swift Shadow Strike!_"

The woman was surprised as she saw KazeRyu's attack not only stop her shuriken, but send it hurling back towards her! Realizing that she would be unable to catch it, she had no choice but to dodge it. She somersaulted underneath it, jumping up into the air again and managing to strike it lucky and catch the shuriken. She twirled it around her body and sent it flying out in a second attempt, this one even stronger than the first.

"You do not give up easily, do you, _aldara?_" KazeRyu sneered, this time knocking the weapon away from himself and out of the woman's reach. He cornered her up on top of the wall she'd leapt onto and began trying to strike her. Like he'd expected, she began fighting back with some form of martial arts, matching him stroke for stroke. This battle lasted for several minutes, until KazeRyu finally had enough. Feinting a slash with his left hand, he allowed the woman to parry, leaving her open to receive his counter, which he promptly unleashed. Snarling, he unleashed a fearsome punch to the woman's midsection with his open palm, the force of the blow sending her toppling head over heels and off the wall to the ground below.

With a powerful flip, KazeRyu lunged off the wall, his greater speed allowing him to catch up to the woman and grab her before she could strike him. Employing the power of his talons, he snatched the cloth of her clothes and whirled her around his body like she'd done with the shuriken, doing a forceful twirl that brought him face-to-face with her. Acting swiftly, he bodily rammed her, forcing her back into the wall and pinning her beneath his powerful body, talons of his right hand readied and active with his Swift Shadow Strike.

"KazeRyu! No!" Roxas shouted. "Don't kill her! She's on our side!"

"She tried to attack Naomé!" KazeRyu growled back. "_Nobody_ attacks Naomé!"

Naomé revealed herself from behind the crates, wielding the Keyblade. She gave KazeRyu a fierce glower and a sharp command. "KazeRyu! Calm down!"

The woman that KazeRyu had pinned managed to look over her shoulder and take a good look at Naomé. She gasped in shock once again and called out to Leon. "Leon, look! That girl…she's got the Keyblade!"

"I see it!" Leon replied. "Geez, what do you think I am? Blind?"

KazeRyu's captive shrugged. "I didn't think so, but if you are, then you're a real good fighter, Leon! And a good leader to boot!"

Leon rolled his eyes in exasperation. He turned to Roxas, speaking as sternly as a father would with his children. "Roxas, where's Sora? And why does that girl have the Keyblade?"

"Hey! Why don't you ask _me_ that question?" Naomé cut in, confronting Leon.

"Calm down, Naomé," Roxas said gently. He waved his hand at her, a signal to relax. He turned back to Leon, his long-term depression finally showing its true effect on him. "As I was trying to say earlier, Leon, before we got so rudely interrupted…" He glowered irritably over at KazeRyu.

Both KazeRyu and his captive took the glower the wrong way. "_Hey!_"

Roxas ignored them. "Sora's been captured by the Infiltrators and Organization XIII. They've locked him away in an enchanted sleep and imprisoned him in a crystal to prevent him from trying to escape. He's been that way for the last ten years."

"_What?_" Leon and Yuffie cried. "_No wonder_ Hollow Bastion's a wreck!_"_

"Not just Hollow Bastion, but all of Kingdom Hearts, as well," Roxas replied. "I tried to free Sora, but I didn't have enough power. So, I took his Keyblade, and for the past eight years I've been searching for one strong enough to free him, someone the Keyblade would readily accept as its bearer until Sora was restored. Naomé is that strong one, sent by the spirit of Sora himself to restore the Keyblade to him. She is the 'Second Keybearer,' and boy can she fight!"

Leon eyed Naomé curiously. "Is she as good as Sora?"

Roxas shrugged. "No one could ever be as powerful as Sora, but she's pretty close. She can't quite do all of the things that Sora could, but she can do a few of them. She handles her own pretty well when facing down Heartless and Nobodies, too. I've seen her in action." He gave Naomé an encouraging smile. "She's pretty dang good," He said, using a phrase Sora had often liked to use.

Silent, Leon walked over to Naomé and circled her slowly, carefully taking in every aspect of the "Second Keybearer." He rubbed his chin reflectively. "Hmm…I guess she'll have to do…for now…"

"What the do you mean 'for now,' you dirty lowlife?" Naomé shot back, getting right in Leon's face. "Right now, I'm all you've got, so you'd better start treating me with a little more respect, you!"

Roxas covered his eyes. "_Naomé…_" He groaned. _Wait until I tell Sora _that_ one…_

Yuffie laughed. "Yep, she's the Second Keybearer, all right! She sounds just like Sora! He would've talked to you just like that, Leon!"

Leon couldn't help but smile. "You're right, Yuffie…Sora _definitely_ would've talked to me like that." He laughed a little bit. "I think you'll do just fine, Naomé…that is your name, isn't it?"

"Yup. Naomé Windom."

Yuffie howled at the name. "_Windom!"_

"Yeah, Windom!" Naomé growled, glowering angrily. "You got a problem?"

"So, that means that you've _got_ to be good! The Windoms are the legendary line of Keyblade masters! They were the first protectors of Kingdom Hearts! They were for over a thousand years! No_ wonder_ the Keyblade chose you as its bearer in Sora's place!" Yuffie broke out of KazeRyu's grasp and came to face Naomé, eyes bright. "So, Naomé, can you fight?"

Naomé was confused. _My family was the original line of Keybearers and Guardians of Kingdom Hearts? But, if _my_ ancestors were the first Keybearers…then how did _Sora_ get it? Is he a descendant of the Windoms, too, or did Kingdom Hearts believe that my family line was dead? But, there's one thing she just said that bothers me…_were_…is the rest of my family…dead…?_

Leon noticed Naomé's puzzled expression. "What's wrong, Naomé?"

"If Sora's the Keybearer, yet my family is the _original_ line of Keyblade masters, then how did he possess the Keyblade? Is he related to me, or did just strike it lucky?"

Yuffie shrugged. "None of us know about Sora's past. I don't think _he_ remembers anymore. But anyway, regardless, he needs to be found and have his Keyblade returned to him, and _you_ have been chosen as the one to do it."

KazeRyu grunted. "Okay, so if she is chosen to give it back to him, then where is he?" He glared at Leon. "Do _you_ know anything about his location?"

"Let's go inside first," Leon said, holding up a hand. "Then we'll explain everything."

_Hollow Bastion – Borough – Merlin's House_

Inside Merlin's house, Leon explained the situation so far. Over the past ten years since Sora's fall, Kingdom Hearts had spiraled into a state of perpetual chaos, Heartless and Nobodies spreading everywhere. As the years progressed, the infestation grew worse than it was before Sora's initial arrival eleven years before, causing massive and widespread destruction throughout Kingdom Hearts and completely ravaging Hollow Bastion to its foundations, undoing all of Sora's hard work.

Recently, though, a strange occurrence had come to their attention. While doing her early morning exercises, Yuffie came across a strange happening: a group of Heartless and a similar gathering of Nobodies had gathered in Hollow Bastion's bailey, engaged in a fight _with each other!_ After the conclusion of this episode (the Heartless lost), Yuffie finished off the victorious Nobodies and returned to report to Leon of what she'd witnessed.

"Hmm…" Roxas pondered. "Sounds to me like the Infiltrators and Organization XIII are having some strained relations here. Sora always told me that one way to know when trouble was afoot higher up was when the underlings started bickering with each other. As he would say, 'expect the unexpected when friends turn foe.'"

KazeRyu snorted. "Sounds like the brat knew how to do at least _one thing_ right."

Leon frowned. "You don't seem very fond of Sora."

"Not really," KazeRyu grunted huffily. "I saw him fight before. All he did was a lot of fancy show-offy sword tricks that even someone like myself could do with my eyes closed. There was no true warrior in him. He only managed to stop his enemies because he was so fast that no one could catch him. It was obviously the only _real_ skill he had. I do not think a warrior that runs around like a coward is not much of a warrior at all!"

"Will you _shut up?_" Roxas snarled. "God, you're such a whiner!" He nearly tossed the bowl of sugar at KazeRyu. "And if you're so good, then why didn't you hook up with Sora and help him? He needed all the help he could get!"

"Oh, he needed help, all right," Kaze growled. "The help of a _nuthouse!_"

Roxas started to get up from his chair, only to have Naomé take her hands to the backs of his and KazeRyu's heads and crash them into the tabletop with a heavily resounding _CLUNK!_ "Keep that crap up, and _you_ two will need the help of the nuthouse to set your brains straight when I'm done removing your skulls! Now, _shut up!_"

"My dear," Merlin tut-tutted Naomé severely. "You certainly are a violent one. I would loathe being the one unfortunate to cross _your_ path! But, I suppose that's to be expected, with you being the Second Keybearer and all. However, you and Sora share one thing in common: both of your existences were in danger the moment you arrived with the weapon you now own. Now that you have received the Keyblade, Naomé Windom, you've become a target of the Infiltrators, Organization XIII and any others who wish to defile the purity of Kingdom Hearts. As of now, your predecessor is of no threat to the Infiltrators and Organization XIII, nothing more than a bad old memory. But you, my dear," He said, pointing at Naomé with his wand, "are now the target, seeing as you have in your possession the main component to Sora's return…the Keyblade."

Leon nodded. "And furthermore, that marks you as much of a threat as Sora ever was."

"There's no doubt in my mind that the Infiltrators and Organization XIII will do anything and everything to get their hands on the Keyblade," Yuffie remarked. "Even if they have to lose every member of their organizations in the process, they'll stop at nothing to ensure that Sora never comes back. Sora caused them so much trouble; they'd just love it if he never returned. However, we can't let that happen. We have to bring Sora back, and the sooner the better! Kingdom Hearts won't last much longer without him!"

Merlin tapped Naomé lightly on the shoulder. "Kingdom Hearts may not mean much more to you than returning the Keyblade to Sora, but I can see that there was something else in your destiny that brought you here. I have a feeling that your time in Kingdom Hearts is far from over. In fact, it could only be beginning of a very long and dangerous journey. You'd best be prepared, for you'll never know what lurks around that next corner that you take."

Roxas stared wide-eyed at Merlin, a sudden thrill of excitement causing his voice to crack. "Merlin…are you going to teach us _magic?_" _If Merlin teaches us how to use magic, then that means we'll be able to be just as strong as Sora ever was! Oh man, if only I could use his Summon Gems! I wouldn't have to rely on my KeyStaff abilities so much, and then I could practice them a little easier!_

The wizard nodded. "Yes indeed, but be forewarned! Magic is a powerful and difficult skill to master, one that requires great concentration and hours of practice to truly master it well. I can give you a few basic spells, but I can't teach you anymore until your skills improve."

KazeRyu grinned insolently at Merlin. "So old man, are you going to teach us how to throw some magic dust on the ground and chant some mystic mumbo-jumbo?"

Merlin bristled, and with an irate _swish_ and flick of his wand turned KazeRyu into a flea. "You should learn to respect your elders more, young man," He said airily, leaving KazeRyu sitting on the table next to his teacup.

"_What?_ Why, you wand-wielding old goat! I shall teach you!" KazeRyu hollered, hopping across the table. _This old buffoon is getting on my nerves! And what's this "young man" bit? This coot obviously does not realize that he is dealing with someone who is almost two thousand years old! I was probably around _long_ before his earliest ancestors were ever born! _He gave a final lunge and firmly embedded himself in Merlin's beard. He dug his newly acquired proboscises deep into Merlin's chin, forcing Merlin to react. However, Merlin's reaction was not what he'd expected.

_Squish!_ Merlin reached into his beard and squished KazeRyu between his fingers, pulling him out and flinging him away, whereupon KazeRyu found himself flying through the air and landing in the sugar bowl. He lay there on the top of the sugar, half-stunned.

Naomé reached into the bowl with her spoon and gingerly plucked the "flea" up out of it, eyeing it with an almost caring expression. Then, she sighed heavily and gave KazeRyu a very stern glower. "Well, KazeRyu, I don't know how to say this, but-"

"Do not say that I deserved it," KazeRyu growled.

Naomé ignored him. "Merlin, if you're going to teach us magic, then what are we going to learn? I want to know what it is you're teaching me so I can better understand it." _I've always wanted to learn magic…if only I knew it a few months ago…those buzzards at North Pointe High would never have tried to beat me up if I could've turned them into toads and roasted them over a Bunsen burner for dinner!_

Merlin smiled winningly. "Naomé, my dear, you're going to be learning a very special kind of magic, one that Sora has never learned…the art of self-transformation, or _emulation_ magic, as it's properly called."

"The _what?_" Naomé asked, baffled. "What's wrong with me the way I am?"

"You are, Naomé, but the Infiltrators and Organization XIII are going to be looking for you, especially if any members you didn't know about saw you back in your homeland battling with the Keyblade in your possession."

Naomé shrugged. "So what? How can I use this ability you're giving me?"

"You can use this ability to shift into the form of another being that you touch, thereby allowing you to assume the form of something completely different from your own and granting you the abilities of whatever it is you touch. This can be very useful, allowing you to battle Heartless and Nobodies by turning their own attacks against them." Merlin's smile broadened. "Why, you could even turn into another Organization XIII member and destroy the Organization from the inside out if you wanted! This ability has no bounds, just as long as you touch a living, breathing, animate object."

Roxas gaped. "Wow! You could even turn into _me!_"

"Why would I?" Naomé grunted. "You've probably got cooties or something like that."

Roxas frowned. "I do not…"

Naomé turned back to Merlin. "Can I use this ability to 'draw out' the powers of others?"

Merlin was confused. "How so?"

"Well, could I for example, touch KazeRyu and draw out any abilities he may have to do battle with? His talons and fangs might be useful when I don't have Sora's Keyblade anymore."

"An excellent question, Naomé," Merlin responded. "Yes, you are able to do that, but not until your skills with your new ability become stronger. Right now, you could probably transform into the most basic Heartless and Nobodies: Shadows, Soldiers, Dusks and Creepers."

Naomé shuddered. _Creepers! I can still see those ones from my battles alongside Sora in my dreams! Yuck! Those things 'creeped' me out!_

"What about _my_ abilities?" Roxas asked. "Am I going to learn the same magic Sora did, or are you going to give me a special ability like Naomé?"

"You, Roxas, are going to provide a branch of magic that before only Sora could access. From what I understand, Sora wasn't much of the Summoning type. In fact, he rarely relied on his magic except for defense and healing, am I correct?"

Roxas nodded. "Yep. I saw him use Reflega, Thundaga, and Curaga more than anything else. He said he wasn't into flashy magic and smoke and mirrors. He preferred taking his enemies out the old-fashioned way by pummeling them with the Keyblade Magic was for protection purposes only."

Merlin nodded. "Very well, then. In that case, Roxas, I'll grant you the use of Summoning magic. Also, I will teach you how to use Fire magic, since this can be used as a 'firewall' to protect yourself when you are Summoning allies into combat. In addition, I will also teach you how to heal yourself in battle, as well as how to use Wind magic like Sora could. The two of you will be able to take care of the entire party with little effort."

"Awesome!" Roxas cheered. "I can't wait to use Firaga and Aeroga!"

"_Aeroga?_" Naomé asked. "What's _that_ supposed to do?"

Roxas gave her a huge grin. "Aeroga is a powerful Wind spell that grants the recipient a 'suit' of wind, thereby acting as a defense against most attacks. In its most basic form, Aero, which is what I'm going to get right now, the recipient's defense is boosted, and they can deflect very minor attacks."

Still perched on Naomé's spoon, KazeRyu hopped off and went over to Merlin. "Okay, old one, so what are you going to teach me? I am already a master if magic, so you cannot grant me any shape-shifting abilities, and I do not need any defense spells. What is left?"

Merlin pondered the thought for a moment. "KazeRyu, if that's what your name is, you seem to be the warrior type, so I'm willing to bet that you have a weapon of some sort?"

"Yeah, I do," KazeRyu replied. "My sword, SaigaSama, the 'Lord's Fang.' I received it from my masters many years ago. That blade is like a brother to me, and I would never want to part with it. Why?"

Nodding, Merlin waved his wand, transforming KazeRyu back to his normal form. When he was sure that KazeRyu was indeed back to normal, he put forth his proposition. "What would you say if I told you that I could grant you more powers?"

KazeRyu's eyes narrowed. "More powers?" He dared a step towards Merlin. "You do not seem to understand who it is that you are dealing with. You are looking at the one and only KazeRyu, Master of the ElementFangs and the original Guardian of Kingdom Hearts!"

"Hold the phone!" Yuffie said. "What do you mean the _original_ Guardian of Kingdom Hearts? I thought _Sora_ was the original Guardian!"

"No, _that_ was His Majesty, King Mickey," Merlin replied.

"Wrong again," KazeRyu replied. "Over two thousand years ago, I was born with the destiny of growing up to become the strongest defender that Kingdom Hearts would ever have. I mastered the ElementFangs and received my sword, SaigaSama, as proof of my ascension to my position. I defended Kingdom Hearts until that _boy_ came along. Then, I was forced to take the back seat and watch him bungle through everything like the clumsy idiot that he was! I could have saved Kingdom Hearts a lot faster than he did, and he, as of yet, has never completed his destiny! So, what does that tell you about your _Hero?_"

Yuffie snorted. "Sounds to me like someone's a little _jealous._"

"Must be," Leon agreed. "Probably because he can't use the Keyblade."

KazeRyu snarled violently. "Why would I want to use that hunk of junk anyway? SaigaSama can Seal Worlds just as easily as the oversized skeleton key that brat wielded! I do not have any use for the Keyblade! I have got all the power I need, and then some!"

Suddenly, something triggered in Yuffie's brain. "Hold up! You said you were born over _two thousand years ago?_ That explains why you're so hostile about Sora being the Keybearer! You're so powerful that you could probably squash him!"

"_Finally!_" KazeRyu said, throwing his great paws to the ceiling. "_Somebody_ understands what I am saying!" He shook his head and laid his paws back down on the table. "I see no need in bringing Sora back. You have myself! Is that not enough?"

"Not necessarily," Leon explained. "It's obvious that you must be immortal, KazeRyu, or else you would've been dead a long time ago. However, All of us here wanted Sora to see complete his destiny and return home, so it might be kind of nice to let him have that chance."

KazeRyu shrugged his broad, muscular shoulders. "So what? Save Kingdom Hearts, then free Sora and let him go home. That is a lot easier, is it not?"

"For you, maybe," Roxas growled. "Sora just so happens to have two friends watching and waiting for him. I think it would be kind of nice to let Riku and Kairi hook back up with their friend before they go home."

Naomé felt torn between Roxas and KazeRyu's words. Yes, she wanted to see Sora free and complete his destiny so he can finally move on with his life. But, if KazeRyu was so powerful that they could save Kingdom Hearts faster, then wouldn't be wiser to let him finish everything off and _then_ free Sora? She couldn't decide what she truly felt was right, as her heart was just as torn as she was.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Sora's voice came sneaking back into her mind. _Naomé, you came here to help me. I learned that it was your destiny to take up my Keyblade and return it to me. The Wind Dragon may be strong, but even the strongest warriors need friends. I know that it may not seem to make sense, but if you do end up waiting, will you at least find Riku and Kairi for me?_

Naomé heard the pain in her predecessor's voice. It was then that she realized what the best choice would be of all. "We have to help Sora!" She said bluntly. "We have to free him!"

"_What?_" KazeRyu said. "Naomé, did you not just hear what I said? I said I would fix it!"

"And what about Sora's friends?" Naomé countered. "What about finding _them?_ Are you going to do that, or are you more concerned about freeing Kingdom Hearts and your petty _Guardianship?_ You may not have many friends, KazeRyu, but Sora has two that are like family to him! If I were in his place, I'd want to find my family before I went home! If you don't want to free Sora so he can fulfill his destiny, then at least release him so he can find his friends!"

Yuffie smiled. "I think Sora would've liked to hear you say that, Naomé. He'd probably be really proud of the fact that you stood up for him like that. I know I would if I were him!"

Naomé could see that KazeRyu was unimpressed. She startled him by laying her hand on top of his paw and pleading with her eyes. "Kaze, I know that you feel that it is your responsibility and your responsibility alone to protect Kingdom Hearts from the Darkness. But, you don't realize something: Sora is just like you, Kaze! He's a warrior that just wants do what he feels is right in his heart! Kaze, please…if you won't help Sora for his sake, then do it for the sake of Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Hearts needs _both_ of its Guardians to survive! Work with Sora to set things right! Trust Sora, Kaze…trust _me_…"

KazeRyu was amazed by the amount of compassion that had suddenly appeared in Naomé's usually gruff voice. He looked back down at her, locking his pale gaze on her gray irises. As he stared at her, he couldn't help but feel another gaze looking back at him through the same eyes. His knowledge of the spirit world saw the ghost in Naomé's eyes…_Sora's ghost._ The spirit of the Master of the Keyblade also seemed to be begging him to help. _Does this youth so desperately wish for his freedom? Does he want it so terribly that he's willing to entrust his life and destiny to a group of those who are virtually total strangers to him? This boy is truly one of heart…and courage._

The Guardian of Kingdom Hearts nodded solemnly. "I trust you, Naomé…I have trusted you since we first met…I will help Sora."

Naomé smiled and gave the paw a grateful grip. "Thank you, Kaze. I know that once Sora is reawakened that he will want to thank you, too. I know it's difficult for you to trust others, since you've probably never had to do it, but I think you'll find out just how powerful trusting someone can be."

Leon nodded solemnly in agreement. "I think you're right, Naomé. Sora had to trust others to help him, and he benefited from it greatly. Go now. Find the Master of the Keyblade and restore him to power."

Yuffie grinned. "Kingdom Hearts is counting on you, guys! Good luck!"


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Come Into the Light…_

_Hollow Bastion – Bailey_

_SLASH! KA-BOOM!_ A group of Shadows and Soldiers had taken a step in the wrong direction, challenging Roxas, Naomé and KazeRyu's search for Sora. Arrogant in their plans to stop the adventurers, the Heartless had threatened their hated foes with bodily harm and slowing up their progress, resulting in their immediate destruction.

KazeRyu, SaigaSama drawn, fought with an amazing strength and speed, sword flashing and gleaming in his experienced hands as he cut down his foes with mighty swings of his blade. Occasionally, he would fend off a foe with his talons, leaving them clear for a lethal slash that would sniff out their pathetic life with but a single stroke.

_CRACK! WHAM!_ Roxas and his KeyStaff were untied as one, a mighty force that was as unstoppable as the sun's rising and setting everyday. Like KazeRyu, Roxas fought like a demon, his determination to find his lost friend overpowering all sense of reason, his only goal to reach the castle in the distance. Surely a clue of Sora's whereabouts must be there!

Naomé fought conservatively, experimenting with what Merlin had called the "art of self-transformation." She'd allowed herself the chance to grow and explore her new ability by coming in contact with a Soldier, and was greatly surprised when she'd transformed into it, allowing her to finish off her evil benefactor before turning on the rest of the group. Now she was using her newfound form to attack the Shadows with alarming ferocity, her own wrath unstoppable and surprising to even herself.

Finally, the Heartless attempted to retreat, compounding their mistake of challenging the seekers by now turning their backs to them. KazeRyu put on a burst of his greater speed, catching up to the fleeing foes and slaughtering them all with rapid, wild swings of SaigaSama. Roxas caught up to him, dispatching a Soldier that was sneaking up behind the celestial werewolf warrior with a sweep of the KeyStaff. Last but not least came Naomé, dismissing her transformation and taking up the Keyblade to deal with her remaining foes.

Panting, KazeRyu looked around to notice that their location within the streets of Hollow Bastion had changed. Instead of being out in the open, they were standing in the middle of a wrecked passage, cluttered with debris. "Roxas, where are we now?"

Roxas looked about him with a careful eye, speaking as he kept his senses on the alert for any sings of attack. "This is the area called the Bailey, KazeRyu. Here is the gate that will take us to Ansem's Castle. I can almost guarantee that somewhere within that wreck of a palace is a clue that will take us to Sora…"

"Cheer up, Roxas, we'll find him yet," Naomé said, readjusting her grip on the Keyblade. "So, where's this gate, anyway?"

"Over around that corner," Roxas replied, nodding towards the path over a pile of wreckage. "After that, the gate will take us straight to the Postern of the castle and the door to inside of it." _Sora used to go to Ansem's Castle often to think and plan for how to battle the Heartless and Nobodies in the next World. The last time we were there, we planned to find Naminé and defeat Organization XIII and the Infiltrators for good. If only I hadn't been such a fool, then none of this would be happening…_

"Hello, over there," KazeRyu remarked sarcastically. "Roxas, wake up! _Hey, Roxas!_"

"Huh?" Roxas blinked out of his train of thought, his memories fading back into their niche in his mind. His whereabouts snapped back to the forefront of his consciousness, his entire memory of his current mission reawakening his depressed spirit. He smiled sheepishly. "Oh, sorry, guys…I was thinking about something else…"

KazeRyu snorted. "Obviously."

"Stop that, KazeRyu!" Naomé snapped. She turned to Roxas, concerned. "What was wrong, Roxas? Were you remembering Sora again?" She sympathetically touched his shoulder with a hand.

Roxas nodded. "He used to come to Ansem's Castle a lot to plan and hide out for a while. It was our usual spot, our special meeting place. If Leon and the others wanted to find us, all they had to do was come here and here we would be. I'm surprised that the Organization and the Infiltrators never discovered that this was our home base. In fact, it's kind of ironic that we chose it: the Heartless were first created here and the Infiltrators originally chose this as their base. It was, until Sora kicked them out, anyway."

KazeRyu sniffed. "This place still reeks of those demons. How could you guys stand it?"

"Because we had a way to track the Organization's movements," Roxas replied. "Inside of that castle was Ansem's laboratory, and within there was a computer lab that would allow him to oversee the production of Heartless in a lower-level manufactory. When Leon and the others found it, they were able to reprogram the computer so that it could not only let us access all of Ansem's files, but also allow us to track the movements of our enemies. Sora loved to use that computer. In fact, he was very good at it…if only I could be that way…"

Naomé punched Roxas's shoulder. "Hey, you just gave me a whopper of a brainstorm! You just said that you could track the movements of your enemies, right? Well, isn't Sora currently in enemy hands? Couldn't the computer possibly allow us to see what they might have done with Sora recently? Hell, we might even be able to discover exactly where he's located!"

Roxas was floored by Naomé's intuition. _Of course! She's right! If we used the computer to keep an eye on Organization XIII and the Infiltrators, and Sora's in their possession, then they most certainly would have something in their records about him! We may even strike it lucky and find out where he is! What a great idea!_

KazeRyu grunted. "Good idea, but I see one little problem in there. Do any of us know how to use one of these computer things?"

"Today's your lucky day, KazeRyu," Naomé replied with a smile. "I just so happen to know how computers work, and I can get them to do just about anything I want them to. It was one of my hobbies when my best friend couldn't come over and play, or when I just felt like being alone. Why, I even built my own computer from the ground up! I know how everything works!" She gave Roxas a sweeping bow. "Roxas, would you be so kind as to lead the way?"

Roxas couldn't help but smile at Naomé's attempt to play games. He returned the bow with a graceful one of his own, and then gave Naomé a sly wink. "I sure can, Lady Naomé. Follow me, if you please."

_Mortals,_ KazeRyu thought irritably as he fell in step with his Human friends.

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Ansem's Study_

Ansem's Study was a huge, circular chamber at the end of a mind-bending twist of hallways. At one time, the study had been elaborately furnished, complete with stacks of books and papers all about the Heartless and Nobodies. But now, the room was in shambles, books thrown everywhere and falling apart, papers ripped and scattered, everything covered with a thick layer of dust after ten years of non-use.

Naomé eyed a chalkboard that had writing about a "Door to Darkness" scribbled on it. "Sheesh, this Ansem guy was pretty meticulous about his discoveries. Look at all this stuff! Studies on the Heartless, 'Doors to Darkness,' World Interconnection, Structures of a World's Heart…man! This guy's got _everything_ covered!"

KazeRyu picked up what had once been a tidily kept leather-bound notebook. He gently pried it open with his talons, taking great care not to destroy it. "Hmmm… interesting…Naomé, Roxas, what do all the titles of the reports have for an author?"

"Ansem," The Humans replied instantly. "Why?"

"Because," KazeRyu said, holding the folder out for them to see. "This one is signed by Xehanort, the twisted lunatic apprentice of Ansem. I met him long ago, and he rubbed my fur the wrong way. And take a look at what the title is!"

Roxas squinted to read the faded handwriting. "_Heartless, Nobodies and Their Connection to All Hearts. Written by Xehanort the Wise._ Wise? Hah! What a crock! He was an arrogant fool, that one! No _wonder _he caused so much trouble!"

Naomé growled impatiently. "All right, all right! Never mind his library and the fact that his apprentice committed plagiarism of the highest order! Where's this Ansem the Wisecrack's computer lab? I want to get my hands on that computer already!"

Ignoring her miniature tirade, Roxas walked over to another doorway. "It's this way, Naomé. Oh, and whatever you do, don't look down. It's a long drop from here to the bottom level of the lab. Also, you'll land on solid metal flooring, and that might leave a mark."

KazeRyu wrinkled his nose at the thought of slamming into a metal plate. "Ouch."

Naomé grimaced. "You can say that again."

Grinning like a sly fox, KazeRyu did exactly what Naomé had said. "Ouch."

Stopping completely in her tracks, Naomé turned and glared icy daggers at KazeRyu. However, when she saw the crooked smirk on his muzzle, she couldn't help but start laughing. KazeRyu joined her with a soft guffaw, and the two of them followed Roxas towards the computer lab, with Naomé doubled over from her fit of hysterics.

Ahead of them, Roxas ground his teeth together so hard that the noise was audible. "I don't see what's so funny about all of this," He muttered under his breath.

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Computer Laboratory_

Naomé's eyes roved about as she found herself entering Ansem's computer research laboratory. A cavernous hall with a huge computer implanted in a balcony-like stage that was connected to not one but _three_ monitors, the lab was anything but what one would expect the lab of a great scientist and researcher to look like. To Naomé, the lab was extremely simplistic.

Roxas nodded towards the computer. "That's the computer, Naomé. Ansem used to do all his research on it. Everything that he ever did is in that computer, and we have full, unrestricted access to it. I bet Leon and the others have spent _hours_ looking over all of his files, but unfortunately for us, we don't have that kind of time. See if you can find anything about Sora and then let's get moving!"

"Don't rush me, Roxas," Naomé growled, taking her place before the computer. She locked her fingers together and stretched her arms out their furthest extent forward, arcing her palms outwards and causing her fingers to bend backwards, cracking her knuckles noisily. "_Yeowch!_ It's been a while since I've done that…"

KazeRyu winced. "That sounded awful!"

This time, it was Naomé's turn to smirk. "Just the way I like it." She returned to her normal serious self and began scrutinizing the computer. "Now, let me see…Roxas, it says here that we need a username and password. Do you have them?"

Roxas nodded. "I sure do! Unless Leon changed them, the username is HBRC, and the password is Sora, Donald and Goofy."

Naomé's hands moved across the keyboard with fluid strokes, typing with the speed of a seasoned computer geek. "Sounds rather simple. Roxas, what does that acronym stand for?"

"Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee, and that was who you just met."

"Leon and those guys are the Committee? Whoa…"

Only halfway listening, KazeRyu walked about the room, eyeballing everything. He spoke aloud his thoughts as he came to stand next to Naomé. "This place is pretty bare for a laboratory."

"Ansem wasn't like most usual scientists, mixing various concoctions and testing formulas daily," Roxas said. "His research was on the Heartless, so he didn't require all of that fancy equipment. Besides, from what I understand, Ansem was never really into that sort of stuff. Said it was too complicated for him."

Naomé had to agree. "I'm not fond of that kind of stuff, either. I'm pretty good at it, but that doesn't mean that I like it…hey, wait a minute!" She snapped her attention back to the screen, watching as the display changed from an empty screen with a dialogue box to a desktop loaded with shortcuts to complicated files. "It's loading! Looks like the username and password are still valid, Roxas! We're in!"

Suddenly, Roxas seemed interested. "Hold on! I'll take it from here for a few minutes!" He pushed Naomé out of the way and slapbang into KazeRyu. Cracking his knuckles in a much more unsophisticated manner, Roxas placed his fingers on the keyboard and began typing. His keystrokes were not as fluid as Naomé's, and he constantly had to go back and correct mistakes in his typing.

Irritated at being bilked of her position, Naomé barked in protest. "What in the name of Kingdom Hearts did you do that for, eh, Roxas? Suddenly discover that you're more a computer whiz than I am, eh?"

"No," Roxas replied. "I know more about this computer than you do, though, so I can find just about anything I want in here. I may not be as fast as you are, but I _do_ know of a way to spend the least amount of time searching…Tron."

"Tron?" Naomé blurted. "What the heck is that?"

"It's not a what," Roxas shot back. "It's a _he_. Tron was the Main Security Protocol. He was the one in charge of keeping all the files free of virus infestation. However, ten years ago, he needed our help in getting rid of a couple of nasty programs called Commander Sark and the Master Control Program. After that point, he became the Master Control Program himself, restored order within the computer, and granted us full access to all of Ansem's files. I'm hoping that he can help us search through the files faster, as he has all of them right at his fingertips."

Naomé glowered. "So do we. You need someone that can navigate a computer."

"You still don't get it," Roxas remarked. "Tron is the best chance we have of finding anything at all about Sora and his location in the shortest amount of time. Tron can scan through a file in the blink of an eye, while we would have to blink hundreds of times before we realized that a file was useless to our mission. He can omit files from our search, thereby cutting down search time. Tron is ultimately our fastest method."

"And where do you find him?" KazeRyu asked.

"He's in one of these programs, somewhere…" Roxas said half to himself as he scanned the desktop for a specific program. Suddenly, he gave a laugh of triumph. "Ah-ha! Here it is! _Tron Security Protocol!_ That should help us get a hold of him! He responded to it the last time Sora activated it, anyway…there's only one way to find out!"

Naomé was impressed with Roxas's sudden determination and skill as he began navigating the computer with growing ease, his tapping becoming more rhythmic as he began instructing the computer to load the protocol program. Suddenly, he stopped, and turned to her.

"Tron doesn't know you and KazeRyu very well yet, Naomé. I'm going to have to do the talking until I feel comfortable enough that Tron isn't suspicious of you. Being the Master Control Program now, Tron's just not going to let anybody in or talk to just anyone. He will communicate only with certain 'Users.' I'm going to have a hard enough time trying to convince him I'm the Roxas he met ten years ago." He started typing again. "That should be…just about…done! There! _That_ should do the trick! All I have to do is a wait a couple minutes for the program to load, and then I can do anything!"

KazeRyu watched as unintelligible symbols scrolled up from the bottom of the screen to the top, his sensitive ears picking up the whirring and clicking of the computer's components as they uploaded the program Roxas had initiated. _What can this "program" do to help us find Sora?_

Roxas stood before the computer for a lengthy pause, calculating when the right moment would be to try and reach Tron. His eyes watched the screen as the encryption for Tron's Security Protocol program went into its final stages of activation, where it would execute connecting with Tron and setting up a communications link. As the last symbols flickered off the screen, Roxas took a deep breath and spoke aloud to the room, his voice echoing. "Tron? Are you there? It's me, Roxas."

The silence in the hall was deafening. Naomé felt her heart sink in her chest. _Tron's not there…maybe the Organization or the Infiltrators got him, too… great…we'll never find Sora now…_

Suddenly, another voice, this one far different than Roxas's and electronically boosted, came through the speakers. "_Roxas? Is that you?_"

Roxas breathed a visible sigh of relief. "Tron! How've you been?"

"_I've seen better days, Roxas. Recently I think the Organization has been trying to hack into the HB Mainframe, but I've uploaded all available firewalls to prevent them from coming in. User Cid designed them for me so I could protect Ansem's computer from further encroachment. How have you been? It's been a long time since I've heard your voice._"

"Tron, Sora's been captured by the Infiltrators and Organization XIII."

"_What? That's terrible! What about Donald and Goofy?_"

Roxas felt his own heart sink into his shoes. "They were terminated, Tron," He said, using Tron's terminology so he could better understand the gravity of the situation. "They were de-rezzed right after Sora's capture."

"_I'm sorry, Roxas. I wish I knew how to help you._"

"Well, there _is_ a way you can help us," Roxas said, perking up.

"_Us? You have others with you?_"

Roxas nodded. "Yes. They're two very close friends of mine. Their names are Naomé Windom and KazeRyu, and they're trying to help me find Sora so we can set him free and restore Kingdom Hearts to the way it once was. Naomé is holding onto Sora's Keyblade for him."

Tron sounded shocked. "_The Keyblade? You mean Sora's key-like weapon? She must be as powerful as he was! How did she come across it? And I don't suppose the KazeRyu you're speaking of is the one that matches the information that User Ansem kept in his files?_"

"I took it with me when I went to try and find a way to free Sora on my own. After a while, I realized that I couldn't do it alone, and somehow the Keyblade lead me to Naomé. In fact, if you want, I can let you talk to her and KazeRyu."

"_Well…_"

"Please, Tron?" Roxas pleaded.

"_Well…okay! Let's talk to her!_"

Roxas smiled proudly. "Thanks, Tron." He turned to Naomé and KazeRyu. "You're up!"

Naomé slowly walked over to the computer, KazeRyu at her side. She felt awkward. How did you _talk_ to a computer, anyway? She decided to try it Roxas's way by taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. When she did, she gathered up her courage and spoke to the screen. "Hello, Tron."

"_Hello, Naomé. It's nice to meet you._"

"You, too. Tron?"

"_Yes?_"

"Could you please help us find Sora?"

Tron's response was full of determination. "_I'll do everything I can. How can I help you?_"

Naomé turned to KazeRyu, indicating that he should speak next. Tron needed to hear him, after all. KazeRyu nodded in acknowledgement and took his turn speaking to Tron. "Tron, this is KazeRyu. You were right about Ansem's reports and that I was mentioned in there. I bet somewhere in that computer is information about me. Anyway, Roxas told us that over ten years ago, Cid loaded a program into the computer that allowed Sora to track the movements of the Infiltrators and Organization XIII. Is that program still in there?"

"_Yes. The 'HeartBeat' Protocol is still activated. It's been tracking their movements since it was first uploaded. Is there something wrong with it that I should know about, KazeRyu?_"

KazeRyu shook his head. "No, nothing is wrong, Tron. We were just wondering if that program might have anything about Sora in it. You know, plans for his capture, plans for dealing with him…"

"_Maybe a file that would reveal his location, perhaps?_"

Roxas gave an involuntary start. "Yes, Tron, yes! That's _exactly_ what we need! We need to know if we can find Sora with the HeartBeat Protocol! Is there any way that you can locate his whereabouts by using the program as a tracer?"

"_I don't know, Roxas, but I can certainly give it a shot. I'll find anything and everything in the HeartBeat's records that have to do with plans regarding Sora. This could take a while, though…both the Infiltrators and Organization XIII have extensive histories leading back to over twenty years ago. How long ago could Sora first be mentioned?_"

"From what I remember, he told me before he'd been captured that he'd been in Kingdom Hearts for a little over a year," Roxas replied. "Ten years have gone by since then, so I'd start looking back about eleven years to even discover anything remotely connected to Sora and the Keyblade."

Tron's voice sounded optimistic. "_All right, then. Let's see what we've got. Make yourselves comfortable, everyone…this is going to take some time…_"

_Four Hours Later_

KazeRyu blinked drowsily, the quiet humming of the computer as Tron tinkered away with the HeartBeat Protocol and the hard drive making him sleepy. Roxas and Naomé had already fallen asleep, Roxas splayed out right in front of the computer in case Tron found something.

_Gods…how long does it take to find anything about a fallen hero's legacy?_ He thought irritably, reaching back and out as he stretched his body against the cold metal floor, wincing as he felt his stiff joints come back to life through a fit of creaking and complaining. _How long have I been sitting here?_

Naomé was lying on the floor next to KazeRyu, curled up as she'd tried to take a catnap. She growled in her sleep as she wrestled with her dreams, rolling over onto her stomach and laying her head on her arm as she drifted back into deep slumber.

Naomé's dream wasn't what she'd recalled her "normal" dreams to be. In fact, she felt like she'd never left Hollow Bastion. She was walking along the circular platform, searching the massive walls that were littered with giant "test tubes" that contained strange bluish liquid in them, when she suddenly felt something flash past her. She looked over to see Sora, hair fluttering about wildly in the wind as he came to a screeching halt across the void that separated the "hall of test tubes" from the platform, Keyblade in hand. Ethereal in form, Sora's light ocean blue eyes locked with Naomé's, his voice echoing in her mind though his lips never moved.

"_I'm here, Naomé… come and find me…_"

"Sora! Wait!" Naomé called out, rushing after her lost predecessor as she lunged across the gap herself, barely catching the edge with her fingertips, Keyblade slamming into her back with enough force to blast the wind out of her. She yanked herself over the metal overhang and launched herself into a run, chasing Sora's ghost as he drew closer to the glaring neon white light at the end of the passage, making him harder and harder to see with each step. "Sora, please! I'm trying to find you! Please, wait for me!"

"_I'm here, Naomé…_" Sora's voice began to fade as he ran into the light.

_No! I'm losing him! _Naomé put on a burst of speed. "Sora! How do I find you?"

"_Come into the Light, Naomé… I'll be waiting for you…_"

"Sora!" _No! I can't lose him! Not now!_ Naomé threw everything she had into closing the expanse between her and the vanishing Sora, legs churning as she ran faster than she had ever run in her life.

Sora was just about gone. "_Come into the Light, Naomé…_"

"_No!_" Naomé screamed in frustration as she threw herself headlong into the glare of the light, the voices of Roxas and KazeRyu hailing her from the platform she'd been on only moments ago. She turned just long enough for Sora to vanish from sight, leaving not a trace of his presence for Naomé to find.

Brokenhearted, Naomé dropped to her hands and knees, fist pounding into the floor as she heard Sora's voice from beyond the light, as though he were speaking from beyond the grave:

"_Come into the light, Naomé…I'm waiting for you…come into the light…_"

"Naomé…"

"Blast it… I lost him…"

"Naomé, wake up…"

"Why did I have to lose him right there?"

"_Naomé!_"

"Wha…?" Naomé snapped out of the dream, finding Roxas and KazeRyu staring quizzically down at her, their expressions betraying their thoughts of her being insane. Scowling darkly, Naomé put on her best front of irritation. "What'd you do that for, eh? Can't a girl take a nap in peace anymore?"

KazeRyu laid a taloned hand on Naomé's forehead. "I think that emulation magic Merlin gave you did something to your brain, Naomé. I think it made you sick. You feel pretty feverish."

"I'm _fine!_" Naomé snarled, batting KazeRyu's hand away angrily. _No, I'm not…I almost found Sora…I almost found him, and I lost him…_

Roxas knelt down, laying both of his hands firmly on Naomé's shoulders. He was obviously concerned about her, but he didn't sound it when he began interrogating her. At that point, he seemed more concerned about what she'd been dreaming about. "Naomé, did you see Sora? You were calling out to him in your sleep. Did you see him?" He tightened his grip, squeezing her. His eerie crystal blue eyes locked with hers of agate gray. "Did you?"

Naomé paused, turning away from Roxas. _Had I really seen Sora there? He…he looked like a ghost back there! He wouldn't be…don't tell me! Please don't tell me we're too late! Was that Sora's way of telling us that he's dead? No, he couldn't have! Why else would he be telling me to "come into the Light?"_

"Please, Naomé! What did you see?" Roxas pleaded, suddenly crushing Naomé close to his body in a vise-like hug. Suddenly, he realized that he was acting stupid, and released his grip on his friend. _Rats…I was thinking of Naminé again…why is it Naomé reminds me so much of Naminé?_

KazeRyu wished not to irritate Naomé further, but he felt that he had to get her to open up. Gently, he laid a paw on her shoulder. "Naomé, I know that we are bothering you, but please tell us what you were dreaming about. Maybe you stumbled across a clue that might help us find Sora. We won't know unless you tell us what you saw. Who knows? Your dream may give us more clues about Sora's location when combined with Tron's research."

_Tron's research? Did he find something?_ "KazeRyu, did Tron find anything?"

"He said the records of Organization XIII show that Sora's been relocated from a place called Disney Castle to somewhere in Hollow Bastion, but other than that, we do not know. We are close, but we do not know how close we really are until you tell us what it was that you were dreaming about. It sounded to me like you had found Sora."

Naomé shook her head. "I almost found him, KazeRyu…but, I lost him at the end. You and Roxas were calling out to me, and I turned to see what was going on, and it was at that moment I lost Sora. However, he kept telling me to 'come into the light,' what ever that means…" She turned away and looked up towards the computer, as though Tron might be able to help her decipher her dreams…

Suddenly, as she looked out through the glass observation window of Ansem's lab, Sora's words came echoing back into her mind. _Come into the Light, Naomé…I'll be waiting for you…come into the Light…_

Roxas noticed the expression on Naomé's face change. The serious young woman he'd seen for the past several hours suddenly disappeared, leaving a shocked little girl before him. He spoke not a word as Naomé pushed him aside, but he laid a hand on KazeRyu's wrist as he tried to reach out and touch her. When KazeRyu glowered at him, he shook his head and motioned for him to be silent. Obviously, Naomé was onto something…it was best not to disturb her.

Naomé walked over towards the computer, eyes glued to the window. There was something about what was out there that was ringing a faint bell in the back of her mind. She stared hard through the glass, her dream slowly coming back from the deepest, darkest recesses of her mind. Yes…down below was the circular platform, the one she'd been standing on when Sora's spirit had come to her. And there, up ahead of it, was the hallway with the wall lined with "test tubes" filled with liquid. And…what was _that?_ Was that…?

"_Come into the Light…"_

_Wait! That was Sora's voice!_ Naomé strained her hearing as she locked her gaze on the panel of glowing neon white far before her, the light shining from its foundation in the floor all the way up to the ceiling high above. _Sora? Are you calling me?_

"_Come into the Light, Naomé…I'm here…come into the Light…come and find me…"_

Naomé felt all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly _click_ into place. _Of course! Sora's in that Light! He's waiting for me to come and return the Keyblade to him! He's calling me into the Light…calling me to him! Hold on, Sora! I'm coming! I'm coming to find you! Just hold on a little longer!_

KazeRyu saw Naomé swirl on her heels, a brilliant fire gleaming from her stone-gray eyes, jaw rigid with a sudden, blazing determination. She locked with his gaze for but a moment before throwing her head back to the ceiling. "Tron! Tron, are you still there?"

"_Of course I am, Naomé. What's wrong?_"

"That place down below…what is it called?"

"_The Heartless Manufactory. Ansem experimented with the Heartless there. Why?_"

Naomé's voice was excited. "Can you let me in there?"

"_Of course. Hold on a second while I override the security protocols…_"

_Click! Whoosh!_ The heavy gauge steel security doors behind Roxas and KazeRyu slid open with a blast of steam from their hydraulic locks releasing, revealing a long winding staircase into the depths below.

Certain she was doing what her dream had instructed her to, Naomé Windom called a quick "Thanks!" to Tron as she took off towards the stairs, leaping over Roxas and KazeRyu's heads in a single bound, the Keyblade in hand.

"Naomé, where are you going?" Roxas called after her.

Naomé's voice echoed back as she vanished into the shadows. "To free Sora!"

KazeRyu was flabbergasted. "Free Sora? How? Did he say something to you?"

Naomé spoke Sora's final words from her dream, her voice exploding like a peal of thunder and echoing behind her like the wake of a storm.

"_Come into the Light!_"


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Through the Light

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Heartless Manufactory_

Naomé took the darkened stairs three at a time, boots slapping on the stone as she tore her way down into the bowels of Ansem's Castle. Her breathing ragged in her ears, Naomé adjusted her grip on the Keyblade, her every sinew on the alert for Heartless and Nobodies.

As she descended, Naomé's mind raced ahead of her, thinking about what she'd just learned from her dreams. _Sora's in the Light! I've got to get to the light and release him! Kingdom Hearts needs its Champion, and that's Sora! Sora's the one that needs this Keyblade more than I do! He's the _true_ Champion!_

Behind Naomé, Roxas and KazeRyu struggled to keep up, calling vainly out to her to wait for them. The eyesight of one wasn't as keen in the dark, while the other was restricted by the twists and turns of the staircase, preventing him from speeding up. In short, both were handicapped, unable to catch up to their charging companion.

Naomé shot on ahead, tightening her grip on Keyblade. _Sora's close…I can feel him nearby…hold on, Sora…I'm almost there…_

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Hall Beyond the Light - Second Level - Sanctuary of the Fallen Hero_

In a chamber within the Heartless Manufactory, Axel and Keldar were patiently awaiting the arrival of Sora's supposed rescuers, one tense and eager for battle, the other deceptively calm.

"Axel, surely you must be pleased to stop a plan that could ruin us?" Keldar asked, eyeing Axel with masked surprise. He readied his great lance. "This is our chance to become heroes in the eyes of those who are our superiors!"

Axel scowled. "One of those I am about to confront was, many years ago, my apprentice. I wish not to harm Roxas and prevent Kingdom Hearts from collapsing; to do so would be the grossest violation both my friendship with Roxas Avalon and my self-worth. The Organization and the Infiltrators have gone too far, my Nobody friend, and they are about to unleash the only one who can put a stop to this madness. However, I am well aware that my actions are being watched, so therefore I must at least make a _pretense_ of fighting him."

As Keldar turned away, Axel found himself lost in thought. _Ten years ago, I'd sworn to leave the Organization forever. However, with the capture of Sora, I was able to save my skin by lying to the Organization, telling them that Sora had tricked me, lead me astray against my kind with promises of glory and favor in the eyes of his falsehood of a King. They allowed me to return and maintain my rank and initiate my training Roxas after a short period._

_Two years later, I made the ultimate decision: I'd had it with Organization XIII and the Infiltrators, and I wanted out. But, how could I rebel? I was still on a probationary status, so I couldn't act. Roxas, however, had the freedom to go where he wanted, still not completely governed by the Organization's rules. I stole the combination for the lock that held Sora's Keyblade in it, convinced Xemnas to allow Roxas to possess the KeyStaff, and used my friend and apprentice as my tool to revoke my already once-revoked, once-reinstated allegiance to Organization XIII. This is my next-to-ultimate way of denouncing my alliance, of freeing myself. Sora is my only way out…he is my "Key…"_

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Heartless Manufactory_

Back in the antechamber leading to the light, Naomé bolted her way out of the doorway, not even bothering to step down the stairs but to leap across them like some freak of nature. Adamant in her decision about Sora's location, she failed to heed KazeRyu and Roxas's pleas, taking her thoughts ahead to what was ahead of her. She smoothly clipped the corner of the stairs leading to the landing before the staircase that lead down to the podium where her prophetic dream had begun, instinctively switching Keyblade to her other hand before continuing.

_Roxas and KazeRyu are only going to slow me down,_ Naomé thought, putting on an extra burst of speed as she approached the podium. She was going to need all the speed she could muster to execute the perfect jump that Sora's ghost had done in her dream. Her very life depended on her accuracy, for if she missed there was nothing that would stop her plummet down the gap into the pitch-black abyss below, beyond the reach of help.

Heart thumping in her chest, Naomé cleared the last few feet before striding onto the podium, legs geared up at full speed as she focused her mind. Offering a heartfelt prayer to whatever deity existed in Kingdom Hearts, Naomé Windom put her faith in Fate and jumped.

Roxas was coming around the corner as he saw Naomé execute her leap of faith. He screamed her name, realizing he was too far back to catch her. He watched helplessly as Naomé crossed the infernal abyss ahead, fear clutching at his throat like some wild, starving animal.

Suddenly, a lightning-quick thought pierced the fogginess of his mind. _Wait a minute! I know of a way to stop her!_ Roaring aloud at the top of his lungs, Roxas got KazeRyu's attention, who was right behind him. "_KazeRyu! Get her!_"

"I am on it!" KazeRyu yelled back, throwing his greater speed into play as he took a huge bound. He aimed his jump just above Naomé's current position. _I have got to stop her! She does not know what she is doing!_

Naomé felt like she was flying as she looked down beneath her feet to see that she was easily clearing the gap. _I'm doing it…just like Sora had done in my dreams…I'm going to make it!_

"_Naomé!_" KazeRyu's voice barked out. Naomé glanced back quickly over her shoulder as she saw KazeRyu rapidly close the distance between the two of them, Roxas the furthest back and preparing to make his own awesome leap into the unknown. _How'd they catch up to me?_

KazeRyu had timed his flight exactly, his taloned paws reaching out and yanking Naomé across the final few feet of the gap by the back of her shirt and her hair. Gritting his teeth, KazeRyu brought his feet slamming down into the long hallway, clawed toes digging into the flooring to provide makeshift brakes, the paw that he'd freed up also dropping down to act as a third brake and thereby completely halting his movement. He dropped Naomé with a snarl as he ran towards the now flying Roxas, curtly barking an order at her over his shoulder. "You stay there!"

Breathless, Naomé could only look on in bitter rage as KazeRyu took off once again, catching Roxas in a sweeping grasp. He cleared the abyss, shoved his feet into the wall of the podium and used it as a springboard to cross the gorge once more, effortlessly making it and dumping Roxas down on the floor. KazeRyu turned to punish Naomé, when he suddenly let out a stream of curses under his breath. "Gods blast your soul, moronic brat of a wench! What do you think you are doing, anyway?"

Naomé had taken off again, getting fully halfway between the lip of the extreme and the wall of light when KazeRyu snuck up from behind her, halting her progress by jumping ahead and coming back in a vicious high-speed head butt that collided with her midsection and sent her tumbling. "You just do not listen very well, _do you?_" He growled, grabbing her by her shirt once again and hurtling her even further away from her goal, her body flying through the air like a rag doll before landing with a cruel jolt and high bounce into the air, finally coming to a screaming halt right at Roxas's feet.

Roxas glanced irritably down at Naomé, as though he were about to tell her off, when he suddenly jerked his head up and locked eyes with KazeRyu. "You know, KazeRyu, that's not exactly the way to treat a lady."

KazeRyu snorted as he came walking over. "She is not a lady! Just a pain in the butt!" He unceremoniously hiked Naomé up into the air with one paw, eyes blazing. "What do you think you are doing, Naomé? Do you realize that you could have been killed a moment ago?"

Naomé stared down the length of KazeRyu's arm, voice thick with contempt. "KazeRyu, let me go! I've _got_ to get to that wall of light behind you! Sora's back there waiting for me to bring him the Keyblade! I can't let him down!"

"You stupid idiot! That was just a dumb dream!" KazeRyu replied, whirling furiously and slamming Naomé down into the floor, whereupon he put a knee to her chest and pinned her arms down with both paws. "You said so yourself! That was just a dream! How do you know Sora is back there, eh? How do you know that your dream is not a trap in reality?"

Roxas was shocked and angered. "KazeRyu! That's enough! Stop it! You're hurting her!"

Naomé wriggled in KazeRyu's vise-like grip. "Listen to me! You don't understand what I know, KazeRyu!" When she felt his grip loosen, Naomé stared up into his face, her own face expressionless. "This is the fourth time that Sora's been a part of my dreams, with one of those times being when I was unaware of who he was. And each time, he's directed me in some way, shape or form to wherever he is. This last dream I had pointed me towards this chamber and _that_ wall behind me. He vanished into that light before I woke up. Don't you see, KazeRyu? Sora has to be behind that light, and he's waiting for the Keyblade! I promised I'd take it to him…why won't you let me keep that promise?"

KazeRyu shook his head. "Naomé, what you are telling me is not clean. I just have a feeling that there is something on the other side of that wall, waiting for us…"

"There is! Sora!"

"No! Not Sora! Well, maybe he is there, but I do not think he is the only one! I just have a feeling that there is something there, and they are expecting you and the Keyblade so they can kill you and take it back! I just do not feel comfortable with you going in there alone! I do not trust that light!"

Naomé glowered over at Roxas, pleading with her eyes to help her make KazeRyu see how things must be. Much to her surprise, Roxas sided with not her, but _KazeRyu._ "Sorry, Naomé. I agree with KazeRyu on this one. We don't know what's beyond that light. Even _Sora_ didn't know what was behind it, and not even Tron can honestly tell us. Until we know what's there, you shouldn't be going in there alone. Let us go with you. Besides, if we run into trouble, we can handle an attack. It would be the wiser choice, and one that Sora would make were he in this situation."

Groaning her displeasure, Naomé found herself forced to agree. Roxas did have a point: she was still somewhat inexperienced with battle, and her "emulation" powers were still fairly untapped. She would have no choice but to rely on her friends helping her. _It's probably what Sora would want me to do, anyway…_ "Oh, all right! I don't want to wait any longer, but if you feel that I should have you help, then I guess I have no choice…"

Roxas smiled gently at Naomé, realizing she was anxious to see Sora free. _I want to see him free, too, but this is not the time to allow silly mistakes. If Naomé's dream is correct, then we're too close to finding Sora to screw things up. Unfortunately, we're going to have to pace ourselves and take things one step at a time._ "Thank you for understanding, Naomé. I know you're excited, but we can't let our excitement cloud our judgment. All right?"

Naomé nodded glumly. "All right, Roxas…you win."

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Hall Beyond the Light - First Level_

Beyond the light, Roxas, Naomé and KazeRyu discovered an extension of the hallway, a long passage that seemed to go on forever before turning a corner. Similar in appearance to the hallways leading to Ansem's Study, these torchlit passages twisted and turned around one another, much like the maze before.

KazeRyu sniffed the air. "It is damp here…this area must be close to a water supply, or it used to be the dungeons to this place. I do not know why a scientist like Ansem would need dungeons if he was experimenting with these Heartless demons, but everyone has a reason for keeping skeletons in their closet…even if they have more than one closet to begin with."

"In that case, Ansem must've had a lot of skeletons," Roxas remarked.

"Will you two stop talking about dead people already?" Naomé barked. "It makes me-" Suddenly, she stopped, as though she'd lost her train of thought. She let out an almost inaudible gasp, and then regained her voice. "_Sora!_"

"Sora?" Roxas asked. "Where?"

"There!" Naomé remarked, pointing straight ahead with the Keyblade.

Roxas and KazeRyu looked before themselves, and found themselves staring face-to-face with the ghost of Sora! Just as Naomé had last seen him in her second Dive to her Heart and in her recent prophetic dream, Sora was in his elder form and dressed accordingly, as well as wielding the "ghost" of the Keyblade she now held in her right hand.

Naomé smiled at Sora, saluting him with Keyblade. "Hello, Sora."

"_Naomé! You figured it out!"_ All three adventurers heard Sora's voice. "_You found Roxas and retrieved my Keyblade! You did it! You look as though you've gotten stronger, too! Have you been battling the Heartless and Nobodies?"_

"I have. Lots of them, Sora, and with your Keyblade. I hope you don't mind my using it."

"_Of course not! You used my Keyblade to defeat the Twilight Thorn, so why shouldn't you use it to save me? It only makes sense!"_

Roxas was excited. "Sora! I _knew_ you were all right! I _knew it!_"

Sora grinned back at Roxas. "_Roxas! I see you found the Wind Dragon! Has he been any help?"_

"KazeRyu?" Roxas replied. "Hell yeah, he has! By the way, how'd you know about him?"

"_I'd heard tales about the Wind Dragon while I was Sealing the Worlds, so I thought that maybe he could help you. I had no idea that he was still alive, or what his real name was! But anyway, I'm glad that he helped you guys out. I can't wait to meet him after I've come back."_

KazeRyu was amazed. _So, the Master of the Keyblade heard about me, did he? I wonder just what he heard?_ He put on a defensive front as he spoke to Sora's ghost. "So, Sora, are you here to tell us where you are exactly so we can get you out of whatever it is that you are trapped in or what?"

"_KazeRyu!_" Naomé and Roxas scolded.

The Guardian of Kingdom Hearts winced. "Okay, okay! I apologize! I am sorry!"

Naomé glared frostily at KazeRyu. "Yes, you are sorry!" She snapped.

Roxas turned away and smirked. _Ho boy…good job, Naomé…_

Sora smiled. "_Actually, I'm not only going to show you, but I'm going to fight with you guys! There's _tons_ of Heartless and Nobodies up ahead, and I don't want you to get stuck trying to face them all! Also, I finally know what you have to do to set me free, so you'll be able to without any trouble!"_

Naomé couldn't help but feel excited. _We're so close! Just through these passageways, and wherever Sora's ghost takes us, and then we can set the _real_ Sora free for good! I hope that we don't have to go too far…I don't want Sora to wait any longer!_

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Hall Beyond the Light - Second Level - Sanctuary of the Fallen Hero_

Axel suddenly felt his instincts kick into high gear. He could hear battle outside, distant but coming closer with every passing second. _Something must've come through the light at the end of this wing…it must be Roxas! He must have the Second Keybearer with him! They must be coming to free Sora! I wonder how they're going to know how to free him?_

Keldar also sensed the warriors approaching. "Axel, I think we're going to have company pretty soon. Do you want me to go and stop them?"

"No, Keldar," Axel commanded abruptly. "Just prepare yourself for battle. We're going to confront them when they enter this chamber. They're after what we're guarding, and we must protect it. I wish to see if my former apprentice and his friends are strong enough to stop us and free the Fallen Hero from his imprisonment. Let them prove their worth to me before we allow them to pass."

As the Dragoon warmed up for battle, Axel allowed his mind to wander once more. _Let's see just how good you've become, Roxas Avalon…show me your power…_

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Hall Beyond the Light - First Level_

Down below, Roxas had no idea that Axel was upstairs waiting for him. He was too wrapped up in defending himself against a swarm of Soldiers and Creepers that'd come out of the woodwork at him, KeyStaff a blur of motion about his body as he struggled to get his back against a wall and therefore protect himself from an attack from behind.

The ghost of Sora was as dangerous as the real Sora had ever been, the Spirit Keyblade he wielded surprisingly causing damage to the enemy and rapidly decreasing their numbers as though it were the real thing, which was still in Naomé's possession as she rapidly figured out how to battle without relying on her emulation powers. Both Keybearers, live and spirit, fought together as they had when they were in the land of dreams, their Keyblades as much in unison as they were, motions attuned beyond any normal comprehension.

KazeRyu let out a furious bellow as he bulled into a tightly knit squadron of Creepers, forgoing the use of his SaigaSama and relying on his talons to sweep down low, dropping into a crouch and swirling about on his heels like any normal wolf would, snarling like a wild menace, hair bristling as he unleashed the full wrath of talon and fang alike in tandem with his blade.

The five warriors battled their way through the passages, fending off as many foes as possible as they drew ever closer to their goal of Sora's resting place. Hallways became littered with burn and singe marks from spells being released, the air echoing with the sounds of weapons, natural and artificial, striking at enemies and smiting them dead on the spot.

Sora's ghost led them through a long passage that opened into another chamber, where the fierce battling played out all over again. There seemed to be no end to the number of foes as they closed in, Assassins joining the fray and causing the little party a big headache. More than once, the snake-like Nobodies came up from under the ground and attacked the warriors from beneath their legs, tossing them up into the air like leaves in a dust devil and smacking them like ping-pong balls with their long spiked tails.

It was after one of these attacks Naomé discovered that her stealthy attacker had pierced through her shirt and had scratched her back, drawing miniscule rivulets of blood out. The stinging pain of the wounds, along with her frustration at being struck, caused Naomé to lose her cool. She checked her impulse to start swinging like a madman and waited until the Assassin snuck up on her, whereupon she dodged its subterranean strike and reached out to snag the end of the creature's tail while activating her emulation powers. A searing power flowed through her body and she willed herself to transform into the thing, granting herself its stealthy powers. She blacked out momentarily as her body shifted form, only to open her eyes and realize that she'd dove under the ground, where she was now free to move and protect her allies with her form.

Roxas was about to be struck by a Soldier when it was suddenly thrown skyward, whereupon the head of an Assassin came flashing up from below before Roxas's face, grasping the Heartless in its jaws and crushing the life out of it. Growling, the Nobody flung the limp thing away, turning to regard Roxas with an almost arrogant air. The creature laughed. "Ha! That'll show them!"

"_Naomé?_" Roxas asked, astounded. "You're an _Assassin?_"

"Duh, Roxas! I used my emulation abilities!" Naomé grunted, striking over his head as another Assassin came flying in for an overhead attack. Naomé caught the creature's face in her rows of jagged fangs and pushed back, whereupon it was firmly sundered by KazeRyu's Swift Shadow Strike attack. "Good one, KazeRyu! Nice timing!"

KazeRyu bared his fangs in a feral grin at Naomé, recognizing her in her altered form. "Thanks!" Suddenly, he threw himself into the air and over Naomé's head at a third Assassin that was in mid-dive. He snarled angrily as he felt a Soldier's claw attack pierce his shoulder, tearing his flesh and causing it to bleed. Pulling his talons out of the wound, KazeRyu unleashed his alternate offensive attack with his talons, sundering both Assassin and Soldier with an attack that was made of what looked like dark bloodstone daggers. "_Scarlet Claws!_"

Roxas was amazed. "Whoa…daggers of _blood!_ KazeRyu, what else can you do? First the Swift Shadow Strike, then your abilities with SaigaSama, and now using your own blood as throwing knives! Is there anything you _can't_ do, Wind Dragon?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot emulate my enemies like Naomé can," KazeRyu remarked. "If I could do that, _then_ I would be all set!" He grinned over at his transformed comrade. "Naomé! Do you think you could ask that old wizard in town to teach me how to do what you are doing?"

"We'll see, KazeRyu," Naomé replied, her mouth full with a wriggling and squirming Dusk. She bit down, severing the creature's spine with a single snap of her powerful jaws. She then threw it into a group of Soldiers, obliterating them all with a _thwack_ of her spiked tail. "Hey! I'm starting to like this form! I may use it more often!"

"_I think you should! It looks like it could do some real damage, Naomé!_" Sora said, running up her back and using her head to vault off into space and attack a group of Dusks that were swimming towards the Second Keybearer. "_Back off, you filthy bunch of buzzards! Get outta here!_" He landed back on top of Naomé's head, brandishing the Spirit Keyblade expertly. "_Straight ahead and up those stairs will take you to the hallway that leads to the chamber where my body's being stored! But, be careful! I think there's something in there besides my body!_"

Naomé bared her sharp teeth and rushed forward, scooping up Roxas and KazeRyu onto her back. Skimming along the ground as fast as she could, she used her massive head to bash and knock aside the enemies that were attempting to converge on her path as she aimed for the stairs that lead to the hall. "Hold on, guys! I'll get us up there in no time!"

Roxas fought to maintain his balance as he climbed higher up Naomé's scaly back. "Geez, Naomé! I bet even _KazeRyu_ would have a hard time keeping up with you! Right, KazeRyu?"

KazeRyu grunted his agreement as he braced himself on Naomé's broad shoulders, SaigaSama Keyblade readied to slice down enemies so Naomé could focus on steering her way through the hall. "She could probably keep pretty even with me, Roxas. But, I would like to see her try and do _this!_" He threw himself forward, leaping left and right off the walls, SaigaSama gleaming like white-hot steel lightning in his hands as he began to rout full packs of enemies. He sundered one final throng of Heartless before returning to his perch on Naomé's back, grinning confidently. "Hah! Try and beat _that_, Naomé! I would like to see you try!"

Naomé immediately obliged, keeping low to the ground and zigzagging about the floor at a breakneck speed, weaving around lithe Dusks and agile Creepers. Occasionally, one would try to latch onto her, but Naomé would execute an ever-so-slight twist onto either side, evading the attempt to hitch a ride by the sneaky Nobody. Finally, she reared up and went over a group of Dusks in a graceful arc, a swish of her spiked tail destroying them all. She glanced back over her shoulder at KazeRyu and grinned. "Was that good enough?"

The wolfish Guardian of Kingdom Hearts found himself hard-pressed to agree. "Yeah, actually, that was. Good job!"

Roxas chuckled at the mixed look of shock and disappointment on KazeRyu's face. However, his laugh quickly subsided in his throat as found himself looking at a set of wide oaken doors. Determination hardened his features and tightened his grip on his KeyStaff. _Sora's on the other side of that door…after eight years, I'll get to see him again…I can't believe that the last time we were ever in Hollow Bastion together was ten years ago! Sora will finally be able to seal Kingdom Hearts once and for all and finally be able to go home…just like I will…_

Naomé had reluctantly shifted back to her normal form, the Keyblade restoring itself to her hand. She felt Sora's ghost sidle up to her from behind. "Sora, is this it?" She asked, motioning towards the great doors before her.

"_This is the place_," Sora replied. "_On the other side of these doors is my body, locked away in an enchanted sleep and imprisoned in a huge sapphire crystal for the last decade, bare of any and all my possessions that I had on me before I was captured, including my precious Keyblade. I have been waiting a long time for this to happen, Naomé… you are the only one that can release me now._"

KazeRyu had come to Naomé's other side, eyeing the doors with a seasoned eye. "Those doors are solid fire-hardened oak, Naomé. One with strength such as yours really does not have that much strength to open those doors only someone like Sora or Roxas or myself could open doors of that size easily." He boldly walked over and inspected the doors, sniffing at them, tapping them with his talons, even pushing against them with his body. "Hmph. Locked."

"_Gee, ya think?_" Sora scoffed. "_Why wouldn't they be, with my body on the other side?_"

"Hey, Sora, that's not fair!" Roxas chided his friend. "KazeRyu was just making a point. Don't rip his head off for it!"

"Roxas is right. You should leave that to whatever is on the other side waiting for us," KazeRyu remarked. He sniffed the door again, sneezed, and then turned to face his companions. "I smell a demon on the other side of these doors…one of those Nobodies. Oddly enough, it smells like that dragon-like one we ran into back on the Key Islands. But…why would _it_ be here?"

Sora turned to Roxas, shocked. "_You ran into a Dragoon, and you didn't kill it? What's wrong with you, Roxas? I thought you _hated_ Nobodies?_"

"I do," Roxas replied. "But this one that KazeRyu's talking about told us about how to find the door to Kingdom Hearts so we could get back here. It was odd that one of our enemies wanted to help us, but the Dragoon said its 'Lord' sent it after us and instructed them to tell us where the door was hidden. I don't know who'd want to help us, but it certainly helped us out."

"_So, you're saying that you _owe_ this thing?_" Sora yelped. "_Roxas, are you crazy? Nobodies aren't our friends, they're our enemies! We're supposed to destroy them before they can get to Kingdom Hearts!_"

Roxas frowned. _Too late, Sora. They've already gotten to Kingdom Hearts…ten years ago…_

KazeRyu grunted. Hefting SaigaSama over one shoulder, he backed up a few paces, executed a seamless dash and brought his feet off the ground in a mid-air, semi-horizontal kick that struck the locked doors head-on. The force of his ancestral power increased the damage done by his attack, thereby breaking the lock and forcing the doors open with a loud _BANG!_ He turned back to his comrades, a triumphant grin on his face. "There! That should take care of it!"

Groaning, Roxas rolled his eyes. "_KazeRyu…_what're we going to do with you?"

Naomé grinned. "You go, KazeRyu!"

Sora walked past KazeRyu, Spirit Keyblade held at the ready. He spun on his heels, ethereal light ocean blue eyes looking meaningfully at Naomé. "_My body's in there…come on!_"

Warily, Naomé tightened her grip on the Keyblade. _Am I ready for this? If what KazeRyu said is true, then there's something beyond that threshold that's waiting for us to come in and free Sora's body from its enchanted prison. Will I be able to battle the monster and survive? I'm not as good at this as Roxas, KazeRyu and Sora are…can I do this?_ Setting her jaw, Naomé marched bravely forward, locking her gaze with Sora's. "I don't know if I'm ready for this, but I'm more than willing to give it a try. Let's go!"

"_You really _are_ the Second Keybearer!_" Sora said with a smile.

"Why should I not be?"

"_My point exactly. Ready?_"

"…Yes."

"_All right, then. Let's go!_"

_Hollow Bastion - Ansem's Castle - Hall Beyond the Light - Second Level - Sanctuary of the Fallen Hero_

Hiding in the shadows, cloak drawn around his body and hood over his head, Axel Balthazar found himself awed by the awesome presence that entered the chamber where Sora's body was held. _Holy Kingdom Hearts! Roxas! You…you're a grown man now! Why does he remind me so much of Sora? And his friends! One of them has a sword! And the other one…no! It's a _female!_ And she's got the Keyblade! The Second Keybearer is a girl? I never thought _that_ would ever happen!_

Disregarding his shock Axel mustered up the power to will his body to obey. He hated to do this to Roxas, but he was going to have to fake a fight with him in order to fool Organization XIII into thinking that he was dead and dust. This was the only way to free himself from the eyes of the Organization forever…or, for a little while, anyway.

Looking up to the ceiling, Axel spotted Keldar, perched silently on an overhanging ledge, body as still as stone and with lance upraised. If he looked hard enough, he could see the Dragoon Nobody breathing ever so slightly, but other than that they could easily pass as a statue meant to guard the chamber.

_How in the name of Kingdom Hearts do they _do that? _It's so freakin' creepy!_ Axel found himself thinking as he waited patiently in the gloom for the right moment to appear. He didn't want to come out too soon…

_He looks so peaceful…it's so hard to believe that he's trapped in there against his will,_ Naomé thought as she tenderly ran her hand over the icy smooth surface of the sapphire crystal that held Sora's body within it. She stared hard into his face, recognizing the Sora she'd met so many times in her dreams. The Sora before her, however, looked remarkably older, perhaps around Roxas's age or just slightly older than that. Somehow, she just couldn't tear herself away from his strong features.

Roxas, too, was stunned by Sora's appearance. _He's aged normally! I thought that he hadn't aged at all! He's the same age I am, and he's trapped within a sparkling rock! How is that possible?_ He looked at the "spirit" Sora standing off to one side, making mental comparisons to prove to himself that the "enchanted" Sora was the same as the "ghost" that'd been battling alongside him for the last better part of an hour. _It's…uncanny!_

"So, this is you?" KazeRyu remarked, tapping at the crystal with a talon. "Kind of hard to believe that you are this guy. Why, take a good look at yourself! Sure, you _look_ something like him, but you are too young to really _be_ him!"

"_Hey, watch your mouth!_" Sora shot back. "_A body ages faster than a spirit because it's made of flesh! When I rejoin my body, I'm going to have to age myself to meet my current age before I can wake up, take the Keyblade back and help! That's why I was so anxious to set my body free to begin with, so I could do it without leaving you guys stranded! Now, hurry up and break that damned crystal!_"

Naomé was puzzled. "But…how do we break it?"

"Funny you should ask, considering that you have the Keyblade with you."

Roxas's ears perked visibly as he recognized the voice. "_Axel?_"

Axel materialized out of the darkness, pulling back his hood to reveal his lean features and wild hairdo. "Rox, you remember me! I'm touched." He motioned towards Naomé. "So, you found someone to come and free Sora, did you? Sorry to say she doesn't look like much of a Keybearer, though."

"Naomé came to _me_," Roxas replied. "She was seeking out the Keyblade because Sora's spirit told her to find it. Who am I to doubt Sora's word? Besides, what are _you_ doing here?"

"I came to check up on the Fallen Hero," Axel replied, coming over and reverently touching the crystal. "It's been a while since I've seen him, so I thought I'd come back and see how he's doing." He smiled his usual cold smile. "Gotta keep an eye on my friends, you know."

"Huh. You never came to check up on _me_, and I was your friend _first!_" Roxas snorted.

"Ah, that you were," Axel replied respectfully, inclining his head towards Roxas in an polite acknowledging gesture. "And to be honest, I did check up on you a couple of times, but I had to do so without your knowledge of it. You see, Roxas, if the Organization were to figure out I was looking for you, then it would've been curtains for me and you _never_ would've been able to come back to Kingdom Hearts to free Sora. After all, I _was_ the one responsible for giving you the clue to where the Door to Kingdom hearts was hidden."

Naomé was shocked. "So, _you_ were the one that helped us! Why?"

"Why else? To get myself out of the Organization for good," Axel replied, stepping around the crystal to face Roxas and his friends. "Over the years, I've watched Organization XIII slip further and further away from its goals and become more and more like the Infiltrators, and I don't care to be on the losing side. See, I know that once Sora returns, Kingdom Hearts will be restored to normal and I won't have to take orders from anybody. No more, 'Axel do this,' 'Axel, go there,' 'Axel, check this out.' I can finally be myself, and not have to worry about breaking a code of conduct in the process. I'll never have to worry about Organization XIII again. All I want is my freedom. Isn't that what everyone in Kingdom Hearts wants nowadays? Freedom from oppression of the Darkness?"

"True, but why do you need us to help you?" KazeRyu questioned.

Axel motioned towards Sora's sleeping form. "Unfortunately, he can't free himself. So, I needed someone to come back and free him. I knew that once Roxas saw him like this, he would want to free him in any way he could, so I gave him that option. Now, eight years later, Sora is just a single stroke of his beloved Keyblade away from walking Kingdom Hearts once more."

Roxas sensed something brewing behind Axel's "innocent" expression. "That's not the only reason why you're here, Axel. You were waiting for me since I entered Ansem's Castle, weren't you?"

"Unfortunately, Rox, I have to agree," Axel replied. He shook his head and laughed. "You're as clever as I remember you to be, Roxas Avalon! You see, to truly gain my freedom, I have to make the Organization think I'm dead. And that means I need you to help me."

"How?" Naomé asked.

Axel threw his robes off into one corner of the chamber, revealing a skintight jet-black pantsuit that covered all except his head, neck and arms. Wiry thin yet wrought with sheer power, Axel looked even more powerful than when wearing his robes, his emerald green eyes glittering brightly. With a simple, fluid gesture from his hands reaching away and behind his body, his giant steel-and-red chakram rings appeared in his possession. He gave them both an expert twirl, fitting their textured leather grips into his hands as he brought them into a ready position. He gave Roxas and company a cocky grin. "Go ahead…make my day…"


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Return of Sora Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Hall Beyond the Light - Second Level - Sanctuary of the Fallen Hero_

"You want us to _fight you?_" Roxas cried. "Axel, are you _out of your mind?_"

"You stubborn, arrogant fool!" KazeRyu sneered. "You will lose for sure!"

Axel shook his head. "You still don't understand. I need to do this to help you guys out. If I don't make Organization XIII think I'm dead, then when I try to help you, they'll come after me and kill me! I'm not much use to you dead, so I figure I'm the same way with them!"

Naomé was bewildered. "You want us to help you stage your own death?"

"Finally, someone gets it!" Axel said triumphantly. "Naomé, my dear, you're _brilliant!_ You figured out that my own staged death is going to help you get Sora back _and_ have an extra ally to help you! That is _exactly_ why I need you guys to help me fake my final moments!"

Roxas finally felt something in his mind connect. "Oh, I get it. You don't want to be part of the Organization anymore, so you're going to fake your own untimely demise at our hands and make it look like you were defending the interest of the Organization with your very last breath, when really you're still alive and looking out for your own interests. Very clever, Axel. You're turning yourself into a martyr, _and_ making yourself look like a hero."

Axel nodded, then brought his chakram back up into position. He grinned playfully. "A martyr, am I? Hmmm…I kinda like the sound of that. So, who's gonna challenge me, and who's gonna try and figure out how to release the Keyblade Master?"

"Roxas, you and Axel seem to be pretty close buddies," Naomé said. "Also, it'd be two-on-two with your weapons, so you might stand the better chance of handling him. KazeRyu and I can figure out how to get Sora out of that crystal. You just take care of that rouge Axel." She gave Roxas a broad wink. "Go to it!"

Shrugging resignedly, Roxas turned to Axel and hefted his KeyStaff. "Well, I can't complain! Here I come, Axel!" He rushed his elder friend, KeyStaff raised for a first strike.

The grin on his face broadening, Axel answered the challenge by bringing his chakram down in a flashing arc, activating his flaming powers and locking weapons with Roxas, who had immediately activated his own Fire spell upon seeing Axel unleash his. True, Roxas's Fire was facing Axel's Firaga, but it didn't seem to matter to the two warriors as they combated one another around the chamber, with Keldar still sitting silently up on the ledge and merely watching the event.

Back by Sora's prison, Naomé and KazeRyu circled about the crystal, seeking the weakest point to strike. The crystal didn't seem that resilient…it looked like nothing more than a pile of semi-clear blue glass with Sora's body trapped within it!

Naomé hefted the Keyblade in one hand, brow furrowing in concentration. "All right. I think I've got it figured out now. Stand back, KazeRyu. I'm going to try and strike with the Keyblade." She let out an almighty yell and lunged forward, bringing Keyblade down in a whistling sweep, biting the "key" end of the Keyblade into the crystal…

_ZZAAAPPPP!_ A massive spark of electricity suddenly arose out of nowhere, contacting with the Keyblade and sending Naomé flying back across the room and colliding into the doors with a sickening _CRUNCH!_

"_Naomé!_" KazeRyu barked, rushing to her side. He crouched down next to her and helped her sit up. "Are you all right, Naomé? That looked pretty painful!"

"Ow!" Naomé winced as her hand touched a sore spot in the middle of her back. "What was _that?_" She groaned, slowly regaining her feet.

KazeRyu ground his fangs audibly. "Must be some sort of shield-spell."

"_Shield-spell?_ What's that?" Naomé asked.

"A magic spell designed and erected as a barrier against intrusion. Obviously, somebody does not want us to get Sora out of there. Well, they are going to fail! I am going to give this shield a final farewell!" KazeRyu took to the air, calling upon the next-to-greatest power he had stored within SaigaSama Keyblade. "_Relentless Fangs!_"

_Relentless Fangs?_ Naomé thought. Suddenly, she felt herself pale in shock as she saw KazeRyu's sword glow a brilliant bluish-white color and began sparking with yellowish-white lightning. _Whoa…his blade's never glowed like that before…wonder what that means?_

With a mighty roar, KazeRyu cleared the distance between himself and Sora's crystal prison in a single bound, bringing SaigaSama in a wicked slash that struck the crystal like a clapper strikes a bell. However, just as it had done with Naomé, the shield-spell activated, countering KazeRyu's Relentless Fangs and blasting him backwards in a massive explosion of power. But unlike Naomé, KazeRyu had the reflexes of a veteran acrobat, flipping himself around in mid-air and landing on the ground on all fours, pale eyes smoldering with lordly rage. "Rats! It blocked me, too! That is one tough shield-spell! How are we supposed to break it?"

"What's wrong, guys?" Roxas called out over a swift parry with his KeyStaff. "Sora should be out by now! What's the holdup?"

Naomé looked upset. "Roxas, KazeRyu said that there's some sort of shield-spell on the crystal, and it's preventing us from breaking it! KazeRyu just tried his Relentless Fangs ability, and even _that_ didn't faze it! We want to get the crystal to break, but we don't want to kill Sora in the process! We're stuck between a rock and a hard place!"

Axel gritted his teeth as he locked one of his burning chakram with the Oblivion end of Roxas's KeyStaff, almost losing his weapon in the process. "Curses! I forgot just exactly who we're dealing with! Maleficent was the one that created that rock! She must've erected a shield-spell on it so that any type of a Keyblade couldn't get Sora out! She wouldn't want him to come back and defeat her again, that's for sure!"

"Who's Maleficent?" Naomé asked.

"Maleficent is the head of the Infiltrators and one of Sora's greatest enemies," Roxas replied, dodging a swipe from Axel. "Hah! Missed me again, Axel! That's twice you've missed me now! Anyway, Sora defeated Maleficent once, but she was somehow resurrected and came back to haunt him. She has great magical powers, and can do all sorts of things, including creating giant crystals embedded with shield-spells in them. Anything that can prevent an attacker from reaching their goal is what she's best at, and I've seen some of her worst work. I should've assumed that she'd put some sort of little trick into the crystal to make Sora unobtainable! However, I don't know how we're going to break him out!"

"She must've made sure that the shield-spell stopped anything like a Keyblade," Axel remarked. "I can almost bet she had a feeling that somebody would try to use the Keyblade or something closely related to it to break Sora out, so she made sure that the spell was especially protective against Keyblades."

Naomé was downhearted. _We can't use the Keyblade to free its Master! How are we going to reunite them and save Kingdom Hearts? Are we going to increase our own magic powers to be able to defeat Maleficent's evil spell? Does that mean we're forced to save Kingdom Hearts without Sora? _The thought of failing at her mission made Naomé simmer with fires of rage. She gritted her teeth and clenched a fist in determination as she stared at Sora in his crystalline prison. _No! I promised Sora I'd save him! I can't break my promise to him! There's _got_ to be a way to free Sora!_

KazeRyu could tell Naomé was upset. Suddenly, he had a whopper of an idea. "Naomé! Maybe your shape-changing powers could help!"

"How?" Naomé queried. "Explain yourself."

"Do you think you might be able to transform into that Assassin thing and free Sora that way?" KazeRyu pointed to a slightly clearer spot in the crystal, indicating the weakest spot there. "Maybe you can use your shape-changing abilities to turn into something that can break that crystal!"

Naomé found KazeRyu's thought interesting. _Maybe I _can_ turn into something that can get Sora out of there! But…what? Wait! I know!_ "KazeRyu! Is there anyway that I might be able to emulate _your _powers?"

"My powers? Why?"

"Well, if I can emulate the power of your talons, then the two of us can attack the weakest spot on the crystal and possibly shatter it! I'm willing to bet that Maleficent didn't think to arm the shield-spell against talons and fangs, which means that we'd be able to break through without using the Keyblade _or_ the SaigaSama, and thereby not activate the shield-spell! Do you want to try it?"

The simple brilliance of the plot struck KazeRyu along the lines that a genius would think. _If Naomé emulates my abilities, then there would be two sets of talons attacking the crystal! Two Swift Shadow Strikes combined at the right moment just might be powerful enough to break the crystal wide open, freeing Sora and get us out of here!_

Cracking his knuckles, KazeRyu put his hand out. "Naomé, I can not think of a better plan. Let us try it out and see how it works. However, I do not know how you are going to enjoy the fact that you are going to be part celestial werewolf for a little while."

"Almost as much as you enjoy being one that's forced to be an eternal Guardian," Naomé replied, reaching out and touching KazeRyu's hand. _He's right, though… I really _don't_ have any idea what it's like…oh, well. There's a first time for everything, I guess…_

Suddenly, KazeRyu found himself feeling that he wasn't the only celestial werewolf there anymore. However, when he turned to face Naomé, he saw that she hadn't transformed at all! "Naomé! You have not transformed! You are still Human, and yet I can sense that you are a celestial werewolf! What did you do?"

"What?" Naomé looked at her reflection in the crystal and was shocked to discover that KazeRyu was right. She hadn't even shifted her facial features! She was still Naomé Windom, not Naomé Windom transformed into something like KazeRyu! "What the…?"

Roxas was shocked. "Naomé! You're still Human! How come you didn't shift?"

"I don't know!" Naomé replied, looking herself over. She could see in her reflection that she was armed with her own version of KazeRyu's talons, and she could tell she had his maniac strength and greater-than-normal speed, but there was no obvious transformation to her physical body. _I feel more powerful, and yet I didn't shift an inch! How was I able to control my emulation? The last couple times I've done it, I've turned into a complete replica of my intended emulation, abilities and all! Is it because KazeRyu is immortal? Did that make sure that I was able to just draw out what I needed? I'll have to ask Merlin the next time I see him._

Axel looked sternly at Roxas. "Transform? She's a _shape-shifter?_"

"Not quite. Naomé has the power to 'emulate' any living, breathing creature she touches. Of course, she can control that ability and call upon it whenever she wants, but it's an ability that so far has proven to be quite useful." Roxas flashed Axel a great grin. "She turned herself into an Assassin Nobody a little while ago, and I'd never seen one battle the way she did! Believe me, if the real Assassins fought as she did, we wouldn't be here right now!"

Naomé scratched her new "talons" across the surface of the crystal, wincing slightly as their screeching from scratching the crystal hurt her ears. She was pleased to see that not only did the shield-spell not activate like it had when the Keyblades had touched the crystal, but that her marks had left definite etches in the crystal's semi-flawless surface. She could hardly believe the evidence she'd just created. Her assumption was correct! She eagerly pointed the marks out to KazeRyu, who could only stare in awe at the etchings.

Roxas, also, noticed that Naomé's talons had left grooves in the stony surface, which he'd been told was harder than diamonds. Naomé had figured out that Maleficent had made an error in her creation of Sora's prison! He laughed triumphantly. "Great work, Naomé! Now, hurry up and use those new claws of yours to get Sora out!"

KazeRyu and Naomé nodded, leaping backwards so Naomé was facing Sora's face straight on and KazeRyu was staring straight through the crystal at her. However, as soon as their feet touched the ground, they sprang forward like a pair of lightning bolts, talons drawn and yelling the infamous attack aloud. "_Swift Shadow Strike!_"

_SLASH!_ The two attacks blasted into the crystal in yellow-white streaks, gouging deep into the surface of the translucent crystal and leaving wide cuts that stopped just millimeters from scratching Sora's sleeping form inside. KazeRyu and Naomé then repeated the maneuver, rotating their angles of attack so that they were perpendicular to the cuts they just made.

KazeRyu flew over the top of the crystal and came to land by Naomé's side, baring his fangs in a delighted grin. "Great! All that needs to happen now is that we need one of us to get high enough into the air so they can come straight down and shatter the crystal from above! That will blast the crystal wide open and free Sora!"

"I'll do it," Naomé said, tightening her already deathly grip on Keyblade. _I promised him…it will be my "talons" that save him…_

"_Ambush!_" Roxas's voice cut into Naomé's thoughts like her talons had done to Sora's crystal, snapping her out of her train of thought and bringing her back into reality with shocking clarity. She whirled on her heels to see the double doors being kicked in and a boiling wave of Heartless come pouring in like a colossal tidal wave of darkness. Nobodies were mixed among the Heartless, Dusks taking to the air to come in for a landing, Assassins popping up above the ground like silvery-white tanks, and Creepers plodding tirelessly along like a miniaturized infantry.

"_Blast it!_" KazeRyu hissed, drawing SaigaSama and unleashing the Devastating Howl, effectively destroying the first wave of foes that came through. "How did they find us this far into the castle?"

"You obviously don't know the Heartless and Nobodies very well, friend," Axel called out as he pushed Roxas away and took a cleaving stroke at a Soldier that was charging him down. "They will find the Keybearer wherever they may be…even if they're in the remotest of areas. Even Sora had trouble escaping the Heartless and Nobodies when they were on to him."

"Yeah," Roxas grunted, flinging a Shadow into the stone wall with a flick of his KeyStaff. "These guys just don't know when to quit." He dodged a strike from a Dusk, only to narrowly miss being tripped up by a Creeper. "For the love of Kingdom Hearts! I'm _sick_ of these pesky little brats!"

KazeRyu batted away another enemy, coming right beside Axel. He growled his response as he and Axel did a complete circle, placing themselves in the other one's previous position. "I do not care _how_ they find us, you fire-haired fox-eyes! I just want them to go away!" He snarled, raking a Heartless with his talons.

_That's the problem,_ Naomé thought. _They _won't_ go away… not unless they're destroyed or Hollow Bastion's Sealed. I would prefer the second choice, but I don't have any idea as to how to go bout Sealing a World from invasion…not like Sora does…_

Roxas fended off a flurry of Dusks with the KeyStaff, voicing aloud his thoughts as he did so. "There's _got_ to be some way to get Sora out of there…but how?"

Axel feinted a blow at Roxas, who parried it easily. "Good block, Rox!" He grinned for but a fleeting moment before becoming serious again. "Trust me, I know just how you feel. There were many times over the years that I dug through the books in Disney Castle's enormous library, hoping to find a way to break the spell and free Sora without having the Keyblade. The truth is I never found a thing. I learned a lot more about the Keyblade, and Kingdom Hearts for that matter, than I ever knew before, but I couldn't find anything on how to destroy the crystal."

_We can't destroy the crystal…there's a shield-spell!_ Naomé fought off a Nobody while thinking of what to do. As she dodged a Creeper, she noticed that the crystal had restored itself to it original state! There was no sign of her and KazeRyu's multiple attacks only moments ago! "Huh…? KazeRyu! Look! The crystal's back to normal!"

"What?" KazeRyu swirled around in a heartbeat, effectively ducking an Assassin and slaying a Creeper in a single, fluid motion. "N_o!_ Roxas, look at the crystal!"

Both Axel and Roxas turned to regard the brilliant crystal, shock and disbelief mingled together on their faces. Neither one could believe that despite the massive damage the crystal had received, it'd restored itself to its original state.

"What?" Roxas blurted. "The crystal…it can regenerate itself? _Impossible!_"

"It didn't work!" Axel snarled. "And we were so close, too! Naomé, you're gonna have to think of something else!" He dodged a Soldier's strike, the clawed hand of the Heartless narrowly missing his middle. "_And fast!_"

Naomé felt sick. _KazeRyu's powers aren't strong enough, even when there's basically _two_ celestial werewolves here! I need something stronger than KazeRyu to emulate, but I don't know if there's anything here that _is_ stronger than he is…_

KazeRyu avoided a stab at his backside, only to put himself in line for a direct attack by a Dusk's flying kick. He ducked that strike, and then took his own flying leap up onto the summit of Sora's crystal, whereupon a squadron of Shadows began crawling up the surface in their two-dimensional style. Gritting his fangs irritably, KazeRyu lashed out with SaigaSama, hacking and hewing away while trying to attack the crystal.

"KazeRyu, get down from there!" Roxas roared. "Letting all those Heartless crawl around on Sora is sacrilege! You're mocking his abilities as a Keyblade Master!"

"_I am not!_" KazeRyu growled back, somersaulting off the crystal in a flash of silver-white, black, ivory, and amethyst purple. "And besides, he is technically _dead!_"

"He's _not dead!_" Roxas yowled. "He's _asleep!_"

"He's neither one!" Naomé argued. "He's _imprisoned!_ And there's a difference!" _And it's that difference that's keeping us from setting him free…unless…_

Closing her eyes for a moment, Naomé let her mind recall the dream that'd lead her to the chamber she was now in. _Sora… are you still out there somewhere?_

"_Sure I am!"_

Naomé's eyes popped open. "Sora! Where are you?"

Sora appeared beside her. "_Here I am! What's wrong, Naomé? You look worried."_

"Sora, the Keyblade won't let me break the crystal…or actually, the _crystal_ won't let me break it. I tried emulating KazeRyu's abilities, but our combined attacks weren't enough to set your body free. The crystal regenerated after a few seconds, just like nothing had happened to it. I don't know what else to do to set you free!"

The spirit of the Keyblade Master was horrified. "_Oh, no!" _Suddenly, he calmed down, a thought coming into his consciousness. "_Wait a minute…Merlin once told me that a Keyblade forms a spiritual bond with its wielder…"_

"So what?"

"_So, that means that the Keyblade refuses to attack me! Naomé, you may have my Keyblade in your hands, but it is still my Keyblade. A true Master of the Keyblade forms such a tight bond with his or her weapon that after a while it can become difficult to distinguish the aura between the two. It's almost as if the Keyblade and the Master's heart have wielded together…like they've become one I guess you might think of it as the Master putting a piece of their heart into the Keyblade…"_

Naomé grimaced. "_Ouch…_"

"_Not _physically_, Naomé!"_

"I know, but still…_ouch…_"

"_Anyway, a Keyblade refuses to attack its Master, so I can't be hit by my Keyblade! My prized Keyblade is afraid of attacking and destroying my heart!"_

Naomé suddenly realized that there was more to Sora's words than she was hearing. "Wait…if what you're saying is true, then that means that it's not the _crystal_ that's forming the shield-spell, but the Keyblade and your _heart!_ Your heart's protecting you from the Keyblade, and the Keyblade's protecting you from itself! _No wonder_ I can't hit the crystal! The Keyblade's afraid of hurting you!" She paused, another thought entering her rapidly processing mind. _If the Keyblade's protecting Sora's heart, then what if Sora's heart could compel the Keyblade to shatter the crystal? But…how am I going to get Sora's heart to compel the Keyblade to strike his body? Unless…wait a minute!_

Sora could tell that Naomé was formulating an idea. _"Naomé, what is it?"_

"Sora, could tell your heart to compel the Keyblade to strike you?"

The ghost of the Keyblade Master scratched his head. "_I'm not sure…I think I did once, but I don't remember…why?"_

Naomé adjusted Keyblade in her hands. "Because if you can, then I might have a way to set you free…that is, _if_ you're willing to allow me to take a gamble with you…"

"_Hey, if it'll free me, I'll do anything! What do you want to do?"_

Taking a deep breath, Naomé spoke aloud her plan. "I want…to emulate _you_."

"_Me? You want to try and emulate my abilities? That won't do any good!"_

"Not your abilities, Sora…_your heart._"

Sora was shocked. "_What? My heart? Why would you want to do that?"_

Naomé explained her idea as she fought to gain access to the crystal Sora's body was in. "If I can emulate your heart, then I can compel the Keyblade to attack and shatter the crystal, therefore releasing your body and waking you from the spell. Also, I might be able to gain control of the Keyblade a little bit better."

"_That sounds like a good idea, but maybe you should emulate my abilities just for the heck of it. There's a couple moves I can do that might be strong enough to break the crystal. Let's see if you can do it."_

"A challenge, eh?" Naomé chuckled, breaking through the final ranks and reaching Sora's crystal. "You're on, Keyblade Master!" She pressed her back against the crystal and placed her left hand against the crystal's surface, the Keyblade held forward in a defensive maneuver. She closed her eyes tight and willed her emulation abilities to grant her what she needed. _I need to be able to fight like Sora can…I need his heart to set him free…I need to have Sora's powers…_

Roxas found himself hard-pressed against one of the walls, battling valiantly as the enemy closed in on him. Axel was alongside him, chakram blazing raging fire and decimating the foe. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the brilliant white flash of Naomé when she activated her emulation abilities. _I wonder what she's going to turn into now…_

KazeRyu suddenly had a terrible feeling that Naomé was in serious danger. He raced from across the room and leapt over the heads of his enemies to try and save his friend, when he suddenly heard the ghost of Sora call out to him. "_KazeRyu, wait!"_

"What do you want?" KazeRyu growled, snapping a glower at Sora.

Sora gave KazeRyu a strict order, one that the celestial werewolf wasn't used to hearing. "_Don't go over there and save Naomé! She's putting her idea in motion! Wait until you see if it works or not!"_

"But, what does she think she is gonna do to save you?"

"_Just watch…"_

Puzzled, KazeRyu turned away from Sora's ghost and watched where he'd seen the flash of light, which had now dissipated. Suddenly, he barked in surprise as Heartless and Nobodies came blasting away like oddly-shaped shrapnel from a brilliant blast of yellow-white light that traveled around a solitary figure in a pattern of streaking beams and sparkling, firecracker-like particles floating about in the air. "What was _that?_"

Sora grinned triumphantly. "_Take a look by the crystal, KazeRyu. What do you see?"_

Squinting his eyes, KazeRyu focused on the shadow that was standing on the other side of the crystal. He gasped in shock. It didn't look like Naomé's shadow! It looked like…_somebody else's_ shadow…somebody he was just starting to know…

_Wait a minute…that looks like Sora…wait! He is in the crystal…! Or…_is_ he…?_

The ghost of Sora confirmed KazeRyu's suspicions. "_KazeRyu, I want you to meet what I was like ten years ago…I want you to meet…_Sora Kasasagi."

KazeRyu could barely speak. "Sora…?"

"Sora" turned to KazeRyu, grinning confidently. "KazeRyu…it's _me._"

"Hold on…" KazeRyu came close to "Sora," studying his features. He gasped when his spiritual senses alerted him to the change. "_Naomé?_"

Naomé nodded. "It's me, KazeRyu. I'm Naomé…or should I say, I'm _Sora."_

Roxas broke through the line of Heartless in his path and came face-to-face with the transformed Naomé. He looked at her, looked at the crystal, and then back at her. "Naomé…? What did you…_how_ did you…? _You're Sora!_"

"I know. I figured that if I could emulate Sora's heart, that that _might_ be our way to getting the _real_ Sora out of the crystal. You see, Sora's spirit explained to me that the Keyblade is connected to his heart, so that's why it won't attack the crystal. But, if Sora's heart compels it to strike, then it can and will destroy the crystal, releasing its master. Don't you see? To _get_ Sora, we _need_ Sora, and to do that I needed to _become_ him."

"And it was obviously a good idea, because it is working! Take a look at that!" KazeRyu said, pointing in the direction of the regrouping enemies, who were suddenly not even half as bold as they were moments ago.

Roxas sniggered. "I think they're scared of you, _Sora._"

Naomé gave her head a toss, flicking Sora's spiky brown hair out of her face. Her eyes, no longer agate gray but light ocean blue like Sora's, glittered intensely. "Oh, really? Well, let's see just how afraid they are of the Keyblade Master!" She said, Sora's voice coming out as clear as if he really was speaking. She held Keyblade close to her body, the edge of it touching her cheek. Hunching her shoulders slightly, she slowly advanced, getting a feel for Sora's step. As she drew closer, the Heartless and Nobodies backed away a pace at a time, obviously afraid of the Keyblade and its powerful master.

Roxas, Axel, and KazeRyu filed in behind Naomé, weapons drawn. Suddenly, they rushed as Naomé spun on her heels, thundering aloud as they cornered and began hacking away at their foes.

Naomé swirled around as fast as she could, taking Keyblade in a two-handed grip and flinging it with all her might towards the crystal, putting her thoughts into Sora's perspective and willing the Keyblade to attack the crystal and its prisoner. _Attack the crystal, Keyblade…free the one inside it…_

The Keyblade spun through the air like Yuffie's giant shuriken did back in Hollow Bastion's Bailey, flipping hilt-over-blade-tip as it came careening into the crystal like a bolt of silver-and-gold lightning, smashing into the crystal's surface with an explosive _CRASH!_

"Yes!" Naomé said, pumping the air with a fist. "I did it! The crystal's shattered! But…" She paused, searching for the Keyblade and Sora. "Where'd they go…?"

"Good job, _Sora_!" KazeRyu scoffed. "You lost your Keyblade _and_ your body!"

"I did not! They're buried in the crystal shards!" Naomé shot back. "I _saw them!_"

"Heads up!" Axel warned as an Assassin came soaring over his head.

Naomé hissed through her teeth. "Blasphemies!" She growled, dodging out of the way as she kept her eyes on the pile of crystalline shards. _Sora has to be in there! I saw his body fall within the shards…if he's there, then the Keyblade's got to be close to him…oh, Sora, please be all right! I hope I didn't kill you…!_

The Assassin was hot on "Sora's" heels, keeping the transformed Naomé away from digging through the shards for her intended quarry. Other Heartless and Nobodies broke through the defense made by the three men, flooding the chamber with enemies once more.

Naomé, robbed of the Keyblade, began fighting with her bare hands as she'd always done before she'd gained possession of the Keyblade, her street-fighting skills coming into play as she moved about with Sora's lanky yet powerfully built form, the power of his body allowing her to do twice the damage she could normally do herself. _If only I could get back to the Keyblade…!_

_BANG!_ The Assassin that'd attempted to attack Naomé earlier came screaming in from out of nowhere, hitting Naomé head-on and sending her rocketing back into the stony walls of the chamber, where her back thudded dully into one of the columns that held up the ceiling above the battle, an agonizing pain shooting up and down her body like an electric shock. She slid down to the ground, half-conscious and prone.

"_Naomé!_" KazeRyu and Roxas yelled, momentarily forgetting who Naomé was at the moment. They both tried to rush over to defend their friend as the Assassin approached her body, preparing to devour her. However, a cloud of Dusks came in from the side, effectively cutting off their path. Both man and wolfish warrior went at it with SaigaSama and KeyStaff, realizing that they would be too late to save Naomé from her horrific fate at the hands of a Nobody.

The Assassin gave a low-frequency hiss as it came up to Naomé's limp form, baring its lethal claws to tear her asunder and devour her heart and soul. It let loose with a muted roar as it reared up and came flashing down, deadly fangs bared as it engulfed Naomé's body in its shadow…

"_Thundaga!_"

The strange word came echoing out into the chamber like the element it called down from the heavens, savage bolts of lightning raining down on the Heartless and Nobodies like an angry god and destroying many of the weaker ones.

Roxas felt his heart race within his chest. _Sora knew how to cast Thundaga like that! He loved nothing more than to use Thundaga against a pack of foes like this! That's _got_ to be Sora!_

Suddenly, a flash of shining blue light appeared, then disappeared in a matter of a couple quick seconds. A blur of golden yellow, black, silver, and white streaked over in the direction of the Assassin and destroying the murderous creature in a flash of silvery-white and brilliant shining steel. This flash then closed in on another group of Heartless and began decimating them mercilessly with ferocious battle cries and a crisscross of deadly steel blades.

"Geez!" KazeRyu exclaimed as he saw the flash rush into another pack of foes, a whirling dervish of intense power. "Whatever that is, it can _fight!_ Sheesh! Look at that, would you! That is one heck of a demon, let me tell you!"

"That's not a demon, that's _Sora!_" Roxas laughed as he caught a faint glimpse of the blur's face. He brandished the KeyStaff with renewed hope, becoming the vicious fighter he knew he could become, blasting his way through the rest of the Dusks with wild sweeps of the KeyStaff and savage tackles that crushed his foes beneath his body.

Axel felt his spirits lift. _Sora's back! Now I can finally get out of the Organization!_

Naomé was still down in the spot where the Assassin's attack had left her, granting her the time to regain herself. When she finally managed to clear her blurry vision, she saw what she thought was Sora dressed in an outfit of golden yellow, silver, black, and white. He was wielding the Keyblade and another strange weapon unknown to her, and with all the deadly skill and precision of a master. Willing her body to rise, Naomé stood up, regaining her composure before participating in the final moments of battle. Banishing Sora's form from hers, she caught up to the blur, managing to miraculously catch the Keyblade with her bare hands as it spun around to strike her. "_Sora!_ It's me!"

Amidst the middle of the mangled remains of the melee, the revived Sora turned right about and stared Naomé point blank in the face. He seemed to have lost all memory of her, when suddenly his face lit up and he crushed Naomé in a bone-cracking bear hug. "_Naomé!_ You did it!"

Naomé actually felt happy for the first time since entering Kingdom Hearts. "I know I did, Sora…I told you all I needed was for you to trust me…" She let the smile she'd been suppressing within her to escape, putting an odd glow to her normally grim features as she threw her arms around Sora in a giant hug of her own. "Welcome back, Master of the Keyblade."


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Kingdom Heartless"

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Ansem's Study_

"So, are you glad to be back?"

Sora stretched his body, feeling the change of his muscle structure with each twist and pull. Over the past few minutes he'd become accustomed to his new body, as well as realizing that he was a lot more different than he was ten years ago. No longer was he a cocky fifteen-year-old teenager, but a self-assured twenty-five-year-old young man. He was older, stronger, and more powerful. However, he just couldn't shake that irrepressible grin of his. He now flashed that grin at Roxas, using his new voice. "Am I glad? Roxas, are you kidding me? I'm _always_ glad to be back!"

Roxas smiled back. "I know. I'm glad you're back, too. I missed you!"

Naomé nodded. "I don't even really know him and I missed him." But then she frowned as another realization of Sora's return came to the front of her mind. "However, I _am_ going to miss using that Keyblade. That was a _lot_ easier than turning into something else and going at it that way. The Keyblade will never be mine again!"

"Aw, don't look at that way, Naomé," Sora replied, chucking Naomé under the chin. "I'll let you use it once in a while. That's a promise." He smiled as she grinned back at him, an obvious friendship forming between the two Keybearers.

"So, now that you are back, are you going to give those guys a good beating?" KazeRyu asked, gently poking Sora in between his shoulder blades with a talon. "I mean, they imprisoned you for most of your life, after all."

Sora's jovial expression darkened as he recalled Organization XIII and the Infiltrators. "Oh yes, KazeRyu, I'm going to give them a beating, all right…I'm going to _obliterate them!_ By the time I'm done with them, Organization XIII and the Infiltrators are just going to be scary stories that parents will use to get their kids to behave." But then, his countenance lightened, his good mood returning to him. "I'll be so glad to see everybody again! I bet Donald and Goofy are just _dying_ to see me!"

Roxas felt a lead weight sink into his chest. "Sora…Donald and Goofy aren't dying to see you…they're _already dead…_"

"_What?_" Sora came to an abrupt halt, spinning around and grabbing Roxas by his shoulders. "What did you just say to me, Roxas Avalon? Because if I didn't know any better, I could've just sworn that you were telling me that Donald and Goofy are dead!"

Naomé realized that Roxas had lost all power to speak as he looked over to her, unable to bring himself to say the same words again. "Sora, he did. Roxas told us a while back that Donald and Goofy are gone. Maleficent killed them right after she imprisoned you. I'm sorry."

Sora immediately released his grip on Roxas, his hands flying back around the back of his head in despair. The strong warrior vanished, leaving a grieving friend instead. "Oh, no! Donald…Goofy…no! This can't be happening…! I've got to be dreaming…I've _got_ to be!"

"You are not, " KazeRyu replied. "You are as awake as we are. Your friends are gone."

Sighing heavily, Sora came to stand before Naomé. He gently placed his hands on _her_ shoulders, looking her straight in the eye as his own eyes were wet with unshed tears of sorrow. "What else did Roxas tell you? Tell me everything you know."

"Well…I'm afraid that he didn't tell us _that_ much," Naomé replied sadly. "I don't know that much about what's going on in Kingdom Hearts right now, aside from that it needed its champion to save it from disaster…"

"Wait. 'Disaster?' What are you talking about?" Sora asked.

Naomé looked at Sora, obviously reluctant to speak. "Sora, Kingdom Hearts is in trouble. Leon and the other members of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee told us that-"

Sora stopped Naomé in mid-sentence, as well as confronting Roxas. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! _'Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee?'_ I thought they finally restored Hollow Bastion to Radiant Garden! Roxas, _what_ is going on?"

Roxas swallowed visibly. "Sora, Radiant Garden has been…reverted."

"Reverted? That doesn't sound good," Sora replied, scowling.

"It isn't. After the Organization and the Infiltrators took over, Radiant Garden turned back into Hollow Bastion. Everything looks just like it did ten years ago, _before_ you restored it." Roxas gave a great sigh of despair, looking Sora straight on face-to-face. "In fact, Sora, all of Kingdom Hearts has done just that…everything's reverted. Things are worse off than they were before you even arrived here eleven years ago as the Keybearer."

Sora's eyes widened in shock as the color drained from his face. "_What?_ Kingdom Hearts is worse off than it was when I first got here? How did _that_ happen? What's been going on since I was gone?"

Roxas shook his head. "A lot of things have happened since your imprisonment, Sora, and none of them are good…I could tell you, but I think it would be better to show you."

"I think that's a very good idea," Sora replied sternly.

Roxas cringed. _Ho boy…I'm _not_ gonna like this…_

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Postern_

Out on the Postern of Ansem's Castle, Roxas could only watch as Sora clomped about irritably on the metal plates, each step making a metallic _klong_ reverberate through the plates and into his feet, plainly showing Sora's displeasure with the condition of Kingdom Hearts. Twice he'd dared to say something, but Sora would only glare at him and tell him to shut up.

KazeRyu leaned against the wall of Ansem's Castle, suddenly feeling very sorry for his fellow warrior. However, he couldn't help but also feel irritated at Sora's reactions. _From what I understand, Sora thinks that it is his responsibility alone to be the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts. Since he was placed under a spell for ten years, he's obviously angry that he hasn't been able to fulfill his duties as Guardian. To be honest, I would feel the same way were I in his place, but I wouldn't take it out on those who were only trying to help me!_

_Klong, klong, klong…_

Naomé tried to block out the noise of Sora's heavy footsteps as they continued to contact the metal plates inlaid among the stones of the entrance to the castle. She closed her eyes and felt the cool wind that was blowing from the northeast, letting it cool her heated body from the intense battles she'd endured inside. However, she could also feel the dampness of fog rolling over her skin, making her drip with condensation like a good sea spray would. She suddenly missed her home very much…

Sora continued to clomp around the postern, eyes smoldering at the dismal sight that stretched out before him. Every time he stopped to look at it, he would sigh with a sigh that sounded more like a derisive snort, shake his head, and then go back to clomping about.

"Hey, Sora," Roxas ventured hopefully. "Don't you think it's time you stop that? I bet your feet must be getting tired." He flinched as he got an angry growl in response. "Okay…I guess not…sorry…"

"How long have things been like this?" Sora interrogated.

Roxas shrugged. "Since not long after your capture, I suppose." But then, he added a little more boldly, "But that doesn't mean that you can't fix it back to the way it used to be before you got imprisoned, right? I mean, Hollow Bastion's-"

Sora exploded! "It's a wreck!" He made a sweeping gesture with his hand out at the land around him, including the town below. "Look at this, will you, Roxas? _Look at this!_ The last time I was here, Radiant Garden-"

"_Hollow Bastion,_" Roxas corrected for the tenth time in a row.

"Whatever! Anyway, it was lot more beautiful than this! Where's the flowers? The gardens? They're gone, that's where! The air used to be clear! Now, it's thick with fog and a musty wind again, and that's even worse than before! 'Radiant Garden?' Huh! The name of Hollow Bastion doesn't even do it credit anymore! Hollow Bastion? Yeah, it's hollow, all right…_Hollow Oblivion!_"

Naomé was tempted to speak up, but she deliberately kept her mouth shut. _It's not my place to say anything at all…this is just between Sora and Roxas…I'm not going to interfere…_

By now Sora had gotten up in Roxas's face, confronting him with god-like wrath. "Is this what the rest of Kingdom Hearts looks like, Roxas Avalon? Huh? Has the rest of Kingdom Hearts 'reverted' to a state as despicable as here? _Tell me!_"

Roxas sighed. "Sora, it's just like I said…the Kingdom Hearts now is not the Kingdom Hearts you or I remember from before. Sure, it wasn't perfect yet, but it was a lot closer than it is right now. I can almost guarantee many of the Worlds of Kingdom Hearts have become so overrun with Heartless and Nobodies that there's barely any of the inhabitants of those Worlds left in there. What's left is probably hiding in someplace like Traverse Town or here in Hollow Bastion in hopes of keeping what's left of their shattered lives together."

Sora became even more depressed and agitated. "What's left? Roxas, how bad are things? And don't sugarcoat it! I _hate it_ when people sugarcoat things! That is, except when it's something I can eat that would taste good with sugar on it…but that's beside the point! Tell me the _truth!_"

"Well…" Roxas started. He paused for quite a while as he wondered how to say exactly what he was thinking. When he did, it was obviously something Sora didn't want to hear, sugarcoated or not. "I'll put it to you this way: Kingdom Hearts is a wreck, the Heart of every World is corrupted so badly that there might not be a Heart to save, the Organization and the Infiltrators have opened the Door to Darkness, and there are so many Heartless and Nobodies that you'd think this place is The World that Never Was and The End of the World combined! Kingdom Hearts is _Kingdom Heartbreak!_"

"Not Kingdom Heartbreak," Sora gritted. "_Kingdom Heartless._"

"I don't care what it is," Naomé stated icily, speaking at last. She folded her arms across her chest and scowled darkly. "Let's just get it back to what it's supposed to be! _Kingdom Hearts!_"

KazeRyu nodded. "Indeed! I agree with Naomé."

Sora seemed to be mulling over something. He turned his back on Roxas and, still fuming, walked over to the edge of the postern and appeared to be in deep thought. Suddenly, he extended his right hand out and away from his body, magically calling the Keyblade back into his possession from its hidden location. He brought the Keyblade before his face and studied it intensely, as though examining something that he'd never seen before, his eyes studying his blurred reflection in the steely surface of his weapon. At long last, he finally spoke, but with his back still turned to his comrades.

"Eleven years ago, I came to Kingdom Hearts as a young boy with the mighty Keyblade in my possession. Deemed the 'Keybearer' and the 'Chosen One,' I traveled all around Kingdom Hearts in search of worlds that'd been corrupted and requiring my help to Seal them from Heartless invasion. I did so, and Kingdom Hearts was first saved.

"After that, I had my first run-in with Organization XIII. I battled a renegade member named Marluxia and defeated him and his cohorts. Little did I know that my troubles with Organization XIII were just beginning. After defeating Marluxia, I got trapped in a magical coma and slept for a period of one year, during which time something happened to me that I am unaware of.

"When I awoke one year later, I found myself with a one-year lapse in my memory, not to mention I was a year older than when I'd first entered Kingdom Hearts. However, I also discovered Organization XIII had gained power since my 'imprisonment,' so I sought out more Worlds in needing of being Sealed.

"My final battle was to defeat Xemnas, High Lord of Organization XIII and their deemed 'Number One.' The battle would've ended with Xemnas's defeat and the Sealing of Kingdom Hearts and the Door to Darkness, but it was not to be. Maleficent and Xemnas teamed up against me, overpowered me, and sent me into another magically-induced sleep, this time trapping me in a giant crystal that would prevent my escaping ever again.

"I have slept for ten years, and in that time all my work and dedication has gone to ruin. Kingdom Hearts has ceased to exist, its fall giving to the rise of Kingdom Heartless. I have failed in my duties as Guardian of Kingdom Hearts. I am unworthy to have the Keyblade and its powers in my control…unworthy of being its master. I am not a Hero: I am a fool."

With that said, Sora threw his Keyblade away, the mighty weapon of legend falling to the ground and landing a couple steps away from Naomé's feet. A shaft of rare, brilliant sunlight struck the Keyblade, causing it to glow with an almost holy light, giving it the effect of being a weapon worthy of being wielded by the gods instead of mere mortals.

Naomé was puzzled as to why Sora would just throw his Keyblade away, but what puzzled her even more was when he spoke to her. His words shocked her, as though someone entirely different was saying them.

"Take the Keyblade, Naomé Windom. You are more deserving of it than I am. You must become the Keybearer and restore Kingdom Hearts to its once glorious self."

_Sora wants me to take the Keyblade? What good can I do with it?_ Naomé was about to pick the mythical weapon up, when she stopped and stood back up. _No…I can't take it…it's Sora's! He is the _true_ Keybearer, not me! I can not, nor _will not_, touch it!_

"What is taking you, Naomé?" KazeRyu asked. "Pick it up!"

Naomé remained stationary. "No. I will not."

Sora's ears perked visibly at Naomé's refusal. He turned to face her. "_What?_"

"No, Sora. I will not pick up the Keyblade," Naomé replied firmly. "I refuse to."

Sora cleared the distance between himself in Naomé in five steps, one of those steps taking him directly over his beloved Keyblade. He got right up in Naomé's face, his voice a muted hiss. "I told you to pick up that Keyblade, Naomé Windom. You are the Second Keybearer!"

Naomé stood her ground. "Only because _you_ guided me to it. If it hadn't been for you, Sora, I would never have picked up that Keyblade and used it. The only reason I'm even in Kingdom Hearts is because of you, Sora Kasasagi. I vowed to you that I would restore your Keyblade to you and set you free, and I've done just that.

"The only reason I'm the Second Keybearer is because I bore the Keyblade in your place, nothing more, nothing less. I have done my task, and have kept the promise I made to you. I have served as the Keyblade's Guardian, and I have granted you your freedom. Now, it's your turn, as it was from the start. _You_ pick up the Keyblade and _you_ go restore Kingdom Hearts. After all, _you_ are its Guardian…just like KazeRyu."

Very slowly, Sora turned around to regard his Keyblade lying on the ground a step-and-a-half away from him. He reached out to call it to his hand, only to let his arm drop back to his side. Sighing heavily, he hung his head in defeat, shaking it once or twice. "I can't."

Naomé came up beside him. "You _can't_…or you _won't?_"

Sora turned away. "I can't. I can't do it."

"Why not?"

"Because…I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired of fighting. I'm just sick and tired of fighting and getting nowhere. I just feel that all I keep doing is fighting, fighting, fighting, and I don't want to anymore. There's just no point in it if I'm not going to get somewhere with it. Why fight if it's hopeless?"

KazeRyu snorted. "Listen to that, will you? The _champion_, everybody's _hero_, is giving up. Oh yeah, some hero _he_ is…he does not want to fight anymore. Huh! 'It is hopeless,' he says. _Feh! _There were _lots_ of times I fought and I thought it was hopeless. Did I let that stop me? No! I kept fighting until I figured out how to win! I never had an excuse to quit, so why should _he_ have one?"

"Well said, KazeRyu!" Roxas congratulated. "You tell him! You teach him not to quit!"

"I'm _not quitting!_" Sora roared, glaring daggers at KazeRyu and Roxas. His temper didn't last long, though, and he became sullen once again. "I just don't have it in me to fight anymore, that's all. I just want to go home."

Naomé shrugged. "Okay, fine. Be that way." She turned on her heel and began walking towards the path that lead back to the town. She made a parting remark at Sora's back, though. "However, I can only imagine the look of disappointment on Kairi's face when she finds out that her knight in shining armor has given up the sword." She began to walk away, not once turning back to look at the disheartened Sora. "Let's go, guys!"

The young woman's words seemed to strike something deep within Sora's being. He called out to her, his back still turned to hers. "Wait a second! What did you just say?"

"That I can only imagine the look of disappointment on Kairi's face when she finds out that her knight in shining armor has given up the sword."

Sora felt his heart skip a beat. _Kairi? How does Naomé know about Kairi?_ He spun around and caught up to Naomé, halting her by grabbing her wrist and swirling her around to face him. "How do you know about Kairi? You've never met her, have you?"

Naomé turned back around and stared levelly at Sora. "I did when you told me about her and Riku back in Merlin's study _and _when I emulated your heart, Sora." Naomé disengaged Sora's grip. "Whether you realize it or not, Kairi is the driving force behind everything you do, her and your friend Riku." She dared to get closer to Sora, getting right up in his face. "You want to return home with both of them, yes? Well, how are you going to do that if you're just going to give up? Give up, and not only do you let Kingdom Hearts down, but you let your own heart down, as well."

"I've tried to be strong," Sora admitted, "But I've only managed to catch fleeting glimpses of them. I have chance meetings with them, but I can never seem to get this blasted placed sealed off so that we can all just go home!" He suddenly seemed to lose all confidence in everything, including himself. "I just can't seem to catch a break, myself _or_ Kingdom Hearts, for that matter. This battle's been going on for too long now, and I just don't want to be a part of it."

"So, you're just going to let Kingdom Hearts destroy itself?" Naomé asked incredulously.

"If that's what it takes…then, yes."

Naomé shook her head. "Then you truly are a fool, Sora. If you let Kingdom Hearts die, your hopes and dreams die along with it, and that means that Riku and Kairi will die, too. Do you really want to let all of that go?"

"No, but what choice do I have? I've given everything I've got and more for this wretched place, and I've gotten nothing in return for it except for a ten-year-long nap, and a one-year snooze before that! I'm giving everything and getting nothing in return! This is a one-sided fight, and my heart's not the one that's winning!" Sora shot back angrily, turning on his heel and stomping away once more. He stood back over by the postern, seething with rage and bitterness. "Like I said…it's hopeless…"

Determined, Naomé squared her shoulders and marched over, the power emanating from her surprising Roxas and KazeRyu both as they watched her come next to Sora and continue to confront him, her agate gray eyes hard like stone.

Naomé turned her gaze out to the lands beyond, watching as a thick blanket of fog rolled across a great stretch of valley that dropped into a deep gorge that seemed to have no bottom at all. "Nothing is hopeless, Sora…only if you want it to be. You always have a choice in life…every day you make choices that may one day come back and bite you, but at least you have the power to make a choice and feel even a little confident about it.

"For eleven years now, you have fought for Kingdom Hearts, and you have received nothing in return for it. All you have done is fought for Kingdom Hearts and for Kingdom Hearts alone. That has been your one and only task, your one and only goal: to serve Kingdom Hearts as its Guardian, even if it meant putting Kingdom Hearts before yourself."

Sora frowned irritably. "And your point is…?"

"Maybe it's time you change your tactics a little bit. Maybe it's time you fight for _Sora_ instead of Kingdom Hearts. Fight for what _you_ want, not what everybody else wants. I know, it sounds selfish, but if you remind yourself of what you're fighting for, then the fight doesn't seem so one-sided."

"You mean, you think I should think for myself a little bit?"

Roxas saw the logic in Naomé's explanation instantly. _I get it…Naomé thinks that Sora's been working too hard, that he should lighten up a little bit and let some of _his_ needs come into play. He's been fighting for Kingdom Hearts so he doesn't have to worry about finding Kairi and Riku unless he does by chance, so that means he was focusing too much on the big war and not the little fights within it. Instead of taking this thing one battle at a time, he keeps on looking far ahead to the final battle, meaning that he sees far too much on his plate, and therefore he becomes tired of it all. I think that he should listen to Naomé. And after all, it's like he said a few minutes ago: she _is_ the Second Keybearer…_

Sora seemed lost in his thoughts for what seemed like an eternity. _Eleven years is a long time to fight for something…and it's a long time to be lost, too. Maybe Naomé's right. Maybe I _have_ been fighting for one thing for too long…but, can I find it within myself to think of myself even a little bit? Can I look deep inside my heart and find what I need to be able to fight for _my _dreams, as well as those of Kingdom Hearts? Can I really, truly find a balance between the two?_

Virtually colorless eyes scanning the distance, KazeRyu allowed his mind to drift ever so slightly off its usual one-track pace, broadening his horizon of perspective as he thought about the last time he'd ever had any sort of an epic battle. _The Darkness is my greatest enemy…and it is Sora's, too…he needs to realize that the only way to stop the Darkness is with the Light…and that means his Keyblade…_

Suddenly, KazeRyu's sharp eyes caught motion out beyond the Postern and in the deep gorge below. Speaking not a word to anyone, he stealthily snuck off through the shadows, mentally charting a course in which to intercept whatever was approaching Ansem's Castle. _If it is one of those Organization XIII freaks, they are not going to get any closer once I get in their way! Those creatures disgust me! Always covering their faces so as not to reveal their true identities and intentions!_

Back up on the Postern, Sora finally seemed to come to a conclusion about what he was going to do. All depression vanishing from his features, he turned to face Naomé, eyes blazing a fiery determination.

Naomé nodded. "I know what you're thinking, Sora. You'll stop at nothing to save everyone and make everyone's dreams come true. Go on, Champion of Kingdom Hearts. Take up your Keyblade and fight for _your_ dreams, too."

Sora merely nodded silently in acknowledgement. He turned back to face the Keyblade, his gaze momentarily catching Roxas's. Any uncertainty that remained in him disappeared as Roxas nodded at him, also inclining that Sora should reclaim his Keyblade. Setting his jaw, Sora held his hand out before him, as though reaching for his weapon. He spoke a single command. "Keyblade! Come to me!"

The Keyblade vanished from its position on the ground and magically appeared in Sora's hand, as though eager to do battle. If the weapon could've spoken, it would've told Sora that it was glad that he'd decided to keep on fighting for what he believed.

Despite the Keyblade spoke not a word to him, Sora was certain that he could feel that his beloved Keyblade was glad to be back in his hands. He stared hard at his reflection in the glistening steel surface of the weapon once again, speaking aloud what was on his mind.

"I know what I must do, and I will not rest until it has been done. I swear as the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts that I will not rest until I see Kingdom Hearts restored to the way it once was, that I will rid it of the threat of the Infiltrators and Organization XIII forever. When I am done, there will not be a single Heartless or Nobody left alive."

_Hollow Bastion – The Great Maw_

KazeRyu was otherwise engaged. After leaving his friends behind on the Postern, he leapt his way down the craggy face of the cliff that sloped down into the canyon below, his great speed allowing him to clear great expanses of cliff face with minimal effort.

Suddenly, with a mighty flip, KazeRyu lunged off an outcrop that served him nicely as a "diving platform," taking him plummeting down into the gorge at high speed. He came flashing down like a streak of red, black, silver-gray and white lightning as he contacted with the stony ground, drawing SaigaSama from its scabbard and preparing it for an attack. He stood to his full height and stared coldly at the figure that'd come to stand before him just out of the reach of SaigaSama. "Who are you?"

"I could ask you the same thing," The cloaked figure replied flatly.

"You are one of the Organization," KazeRyu snorted. "I can tell by your robes."

"I may be," The figure answered. "The truth is, I _am_ a member of Organization XIII, but only for the purposes of keeping tabs on what their movements are."

KazeRyu felt little change to his attitude occur. _A spy, then._ "Well, why would you want to stay within the Organization if sooner or later you are going to have to blow your cover and attack them?"

The figure pointed towards the castle behind KazeRyu. "I am awaiting the return of the Fallen Hero before I move. Besides, there are many who are counting on my judgment to save them from certain destruction."

"You are waiting a long time, then," KazeRyu said sternly. "Your plan to act is all dependent on one who is at best locked away in a magically induced coma and trapped within a giant crystal. Sora is currently unable to move." _I cannot let anyone of the Organization know that Sora has been freed, although they may be here to see if Axel is dead. If they believe that, then they will know that Sora is alive. What to do?_

"You know his name," The figure sounded mildly surprised. "Not many nowadays know the name of the Fallen Hero. It seems that the years have only dulled the legend of Sora, not brightened it. It's a pity, since he was such a great warrior. I had the honor of crossing blades with him once, and none since then have made me fear for my life more than he did."

KazeRyu flourished SaigaSama. "Why are you here?"

"I am merely coming to pay my respects to one I call my friend. In fact, those who rely on me to free them consider Sora their 'patron saint,' if you will. It is because of his actions in the wars that has canonized him in the eyes of those who still have hope that Kingdom Hearts will be saved, and I can truly see why. His courage, his sense of justice, his honorable ways…they are all things that a true saint might possess."

"_Patron saint?" Wait until I tell Sora that one!_ "A saint, eh? You and your friends must revere him highly. Tell me, who are you?"

"I am Xoras, and I am a part of the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army."

KazeRyu was puzzled. "Oh? And who, may I ask, are they?"

"Those who are within the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army are willing to take a stand against Organization XIII and the Infiltrators and stop them from destroying Kingdom Hearts any further. One of our other objectives is to restore Sora, whom we refer to as 'the Master,' to power, thereby giving us the ammunition to finally take on those we so despise."

"Why are you waiting for Sora? Can you not take your foes on alone?"

Xoras shrugged. "We could, but we feel that it would be in our best interests to unite under the Master of the Keyblade. We want nothing more than to support the Master upon his return and allow him to see that he still has some who believe in him."

"Unite, eh? _Hide_, more like," KazeRyu snorted.

"We of the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army aren't afraid to show our true colors," Xoras bristled. "The time is not right. Once we are certain more pieces have fallen into place, then we shall act and reveal ourselves as the Master's allies. Until then, we must remain hidden at all costs…for his sake."

KazeRyu grunted. "All right…but, in my opinion, I still think you are being cowards." He twirled SaigaSama expertly, sheathing it in a heartbeat. He still didn't trust Xoras, but something told him to violate his instincts. He came right up close to Xoras. "Let me tell you something, Xoras…I am the guardian of Ansem's Castle and Sora's final resting place. When and if Sora awakens, I have been given orders to stay with him unless he dismisses me. If for some reason I am dismissed, I will join you and the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army. However, should I stay with Sora, I will not reveal anything of you or the Army's presence until you decide that it is time to reveal yourselves. I am KazeRyu, and my word is my life and honor. Remember that!"

Xoras bobbed his head in acknowledgement. "I will. I must go now. Farewell, KazeRyu."

"Farewell, Xoras," KazeRyu replied curtly.

Silently, Xoras turned on his heels and walked away, vanishing into the mist and out of KazeRyu's vision. However, KazeRyu could still hear his footsteps as he turned around himself and headed back up the cliff to the postern of Ansem's Castle. He cleared the last ten feet with a great bound that carried him over Sora's head and to the middle of the Postern, where he immediately crouched down.

Naomé seemed curious about KazeRyu's disappearance. "You were gone for quite a while there, KazeRyu. What were you doing?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Taking a look down in the valley below," KazeRyu replied, calm yet distant.

"The Great Maw?" Sora asked. "Why were you doing down there?"

"I thought I saw something. It only turned out to be a rock," KazeRyu said dismissively as he headed to the trail that took them back to Hollow Bastion. _I am not going to speak a word of my meeting Xoras and learning about the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army. Someday, Xoras and his friends will show themselves to Sora…they' are just waiting for the opportune moment…_


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Twilight Town, Ghost Town

_Twilight Town - Central Station_

"Twilight Town is just through those double glass doors," Sora remarked as he came striding out of the train compartment and onto the platform. "It's been such along time since I last came here!"

"Actually, we're _already_ in Twilight Town," Roxas corrected. "Central Station i_s_ a part of Twilight Town, and it was one of my favorite places to hang out in as a kid. I used to sit up on that ledge up there and watch the trains going in and out. In fact, my bedroom window in my house let me have a perfect view of the trains coming from the station."

KazeRyu grinned sarcastically. "I take it you like trains." But then he grimaced. "I do not like them. They are noisy, they stink, they are too slow and they are too crowded. By the gods, _I_ can move faster than any of those stupid trains do, and I do not use coal or electricity for energy!"

"Of course not," Naomé teased. "You have it much easier, KazeRyu…you just use the hot air coming out of your mouth instead."

Sora and Roxas practically collapsed into each other's arms laughing as KazeRyu pinned his ears back, narrowed his eyes and bared his fangs in irritation. He allowed a small growl to escape from within his throat. "_I_ did not think that was so funny."

"They did, apparently," Naomé replied, grinning at KazeRyu. She chuckled as she dodged a swing from her wolfish friend. "Hey, hey, now! I was only joking!"

"Naomé, sometimes you are too much of a smart-aleck for your own good," KazeRyu gritted, wagging a claw at her. "One of these days that smart mouth of yours is going to get you in _big_ trouble."

"Yeah, and you'll be right there to get me out of it, won't you?"

KazeRyu snorted as he started following the winded Roxas and Sora. "We will just see about that, Naomé. Hey, you two hyenas! Stop laughing and wait for us!"

"But KazeRyu," Roxas sniggered. "I thought Wind Dragons could _fly._"

Sora's body wracked with laughter as he struggled to put one foot in front of the other, literally drunk on his own mirth. He leaned against the glass doors with his head and both hands as he fought to control his giggling fits, bright ocean blue eyes glittering with laughter of their own. However, his delight vanished when he looked through the glass, his voice tight with shock as he called out behind him. "_Roxas!_"

"What?" Roxas asked, turning to Sora. When his eyes locked on the view outside of the glass doors, he felt himself pale to the point where even any sensation of warmth left his body. Lost within his own mind, he staggered over to the doors as though in a trance. "What…Twilight Town? It…can't be!"

"What is it?" Naomé asked, her and KazeRyu coming up to see what was wrong.

"Twilight Town!" Roxas replied. "It's been _destroyed!_"

KazeRyu's ears perked visibly. "Destroyed? How?"

"It looks nothing like it did ten years ago," Sora explained. "Twilight Town never looked like _this _before! I don't think it has, anyway."

Roxas was now truly lost within his own mind, his body numb to the world around him. _Twilight Town's been destroyed…my home…my family…my friends…they're probably all gone…I'm the only one that's left…I'm the last citizen of Twilight Town left alive…I'm the only one…_

KazeRyu pushed his way between Sora and Roxas and opened the doors. "Look, if it is that bad, why don't we go out there and find out what is left of the place? We may even find someone who remembers you, Roxas!"

"Sure…I guess…" Roxas replied, frozen.

_Twilight Town – Station Plaza _

Twilight Town was bricked with blocks of a reddish-golden hue that, when hit by the glimmering sunlight, would turn to a sparkling gold…once. Now, they looked a muddy reddish-gray, the once shining sun and the brilliant fiery sky now all covered over in thick gray clouds, turning the once beautiful Twilight Town into an eerie graveyard of dull colors, making everything seem as dull in tone as Hollow Bastion had been.

Roxas stood out in the Station Plaza, his mood as gray as his old home. His previous jovial self had vanished at the sight of his beloved home turned into a ghost town, delight rapidly giving way to extreme depression. His eerie crystal blue eyes had lost their normally radiant sparkle, the grayness of the world around him turning them a dusky blue-gray. He seemed turned to stone, a silent statue that watched over his once glistening homeland.

Naomé stared out into the deserted streets of the town below, shaking her head at the sight of the wondrous beauty of Twilight Town now overshadowed with dusky clouds and light wisps of fog rolling along the streets like silent waves of spirits that'd abandoned the lost town long ago. She addressed Roxas as she continued to stare, agate-gray eyes taking in everything they saw. "You call _this_ home? No wonder you left."

"It's not what it used to be," Roxas replied glumly. "Twilight Town didn't look like this when I was a boy. This place was beautiful, full of wonderful colors accented with the golden tones of the setting sun. The sky wasn't cloud-covered, but a myriad of hues from kingly gold to rich crimson and fiery red, light amber clouds occasionally rolling through. Rain would come sometimes, but somehow the sun always shone through. I used to call those 'sunshowers.' I loved Twilight Town so much that I never wanted to leave. But in the end I did, my lust for adventure overpowering my love of home, of my friends and my family. I left to retrieve my fiancée."

"Fiancée?" KazeRyu asked. "You were engaged?"

Roxas nodded. "Yes. Organization XIII had kidnapped Naminé, my fiancée, in hopes of capturing me for some reason. I found out later that they were planning to use me as Sora's decoy, a way to draw him out so they could destroy him. But, Sora rescued me and we both got away. Naminé was free for a while, but the Organization found her and abducted her once again, telling me that the only way to get her back was to bring them Sora's Keyblade."

"Did you?" Naomé queried, noting Sora's expression suddenly turn icy.

"Yes, but it didn't matter in the end. Naminé was dying when I brought the Keyblade. It was after that I returned the Keyblade to Sora and told him to avenge Naminé for me, since I didn't have the power to stop them. In the end, my theft of Sora's Keyblade cost Naminé her life and Sora to lose ten years of his." Roxas sighed and turned away, his head hung in sorrow and defeat. "I'm the reason behind everything happening in Kingdom Hearts. This is all my fault..."

Sora's icy anger suddenly dissipated. He became shocked and humbled, reaching out to touch Roxas's shoulder in sympathy. "Oh, Roxas…I'm so sorry! I forgot about Naminé dying! I got mad at you, and it was all for nothing! I'm sorry, Roxas. Really, I am. Forgive me!"

Roxas smiled sadly. "It's okay, Sora. You were right to be angry with me. I stole your Keyblade…I betrayed you. I'd be surprised if Naminé's spirit isn't angry with me, since I betrayed her, too…"

"But you did not betray her," KazeRyu said abruptly. "The Organization kidnapped her! What happened to her was beyond your control! You found it out for yourself when you brought them Sora's Keyblade! By the time you had brought it to them, you were too late! Somebody thought it a cruel joke to kill her and make you have to suffer! I _told you_ that Organization XIII was a pack of demons! They did not care if Naminé lived or died! They just wanted to get rid of Sora more than anything else! You and your fiancée were just decoys! They used you to get Sora!"

"We were '_expendable assets_,' you mean," Roxas replied grimly, using a term Organization XIII was well known for using. "They just looked at us like a child looks at its favorite toy. They use it until it wears out, then throw it away and look for a new favorite toy to play with."

"But," Naomé protested. "They were using _people's lives_ as toys! That's barbaric!"

"They didn't care," Sora replied. "They don't have any hearts, so they don't care what happens to the hearts of others. That's their way at getting back at those who still had a heart of their own. They were so bitter with jealousy that they thought it a game to use people's hearts to forward their efforts to take over Kingdom Hearts and open the Door to Darkness. To them, doing such terrible things was the most fun they could ever have."

Naomé banged her fist into the railing of the edge that bordered Station Plaza, grinding her teeth audibly. "Monsters! I'd like to do _that_ to them and see how _they_ like it!" She felt her fury rise up within her soul, causing her to feel like she was burning in an intense bonfire and there was no way to put the flames out. "If they ever did that to someone I loved, I'd kill them, even if it meant sacrificing myself! _No one_ would lay hands on someone I love like that! No way at all!"

Roxas suddenly seemed to undergo a change. Without saying a word, he strode over to the other end of the plaza and began walking into the deserted town, his step more determined than usual. He squared his shoulders as he began heading into the shadows of an overhang, as though he were preparing himself to face something dreadful.

"Roxas, where are you going?" Sora called out.

"I'm going home!" Roxas replied curtly. "You can follow me if you want to."

Naomé, Sora and KazeRyu looked at one another, and then took off after Roxas, failing to notice that a deep royal-blue-robed figure was standing within the glass doors, watching them. As they vanished, the figure stepped out and began walking after them, as though curious of their movements.

_Twilight Town – Station Heights_

Roxas seemed oblivious to the fact that the World around him was lifeless and silent. His only focus was on the path to his house. He walked the streets of Twilight Town as if he'd never left, his memory his only map back. Striding past the old storage warehouse he used to work at during the summertime, he entered an area he knew all too well. An old sign, slightly faded from age and attached to an aged street post, read _Station Heights._

KazeRyu noticed the sign, as well. "Roxas, where are we going? That sign said-"

"I know what it said," Roxas replied. "Station Heights was where my home was. I used to work at the warehouse behind me during the summer when I was a teenager. I remember that all I had to do was walk out the door and I'd almost be to work. I just had to walk up the street a little ways and I'd be there. Also, if I took a hard left, I could head into the back alleyways and meet my friends in our favorite hangout. So, you can guess that my house…"

Suddenly, Roxas stopped in mid-sentence. He stared straight ahead, then took off at a dead run, dashing straight ahead to the brick house in front of him, a cloud of dust kicking up behind his shoes as he bounded up the steps and virtually kicked the door in.

"We can guess that his house is on the corner," Naomé finished for Roxas, jerking her head in the direction of the building. "Come on, guys. Let's see what Roxas's place is like!"

"I wonder if there's any food in there," Sora pondered. "I'm starving!"

"I am too, but I would not want to eat whatever is in the fridge," KazeRyu replied, pulling a disgusted face. "It is probably all spoiled by now." "_Eeew!_" Naomé squealed. "I did _not_ want to hear that! _Gross!_"

Sora grimaced fiercely. "_Eeyuck!_ KazeRyu, be it a Heartless, a Nobody, or somebody's appetite, you always know to kill it! Is there anything that you _don't_ know how to kill?"

"I do not know, "KazeRyu replied, grinning. "I do not what is left _to_ kill."

Sora groaned and rolled his eyes. _He's too smart for his own good…_

_Twilight Town – Station Heights – Roxas's House – First Level_

Roxas crashed through the front door of his house, stumbling over the threshold and into the dusty entry hall, clouds of dust swirling up into the air like a miniature blizzard and momentarily obscuring his vision. Coughing and choking on the dust, Roxas waved the suffocating cloud away with his hand, shoes catching on the edge of the floor rug and causing him to trip on his own feet, tumbling head over heels before slamming into the dusty carpet of the living room, his impact raising an even larger cloud of dust into the dead atmosphere.

Gagging as the dust got caught in his throat and nose, Roxas rubbed his burning eyes as he looked about the first level, getting to his feet and regaining his lost balance. "Mom? Dad? Are you there? It's me, Roxas! I'm home!"

Roxas's greeting was answered by the unearthly silence of the house, followed by a gentle wind blowing through the now open front door. The air was stagnant, smelling of mold, mildew and sour air that hadn't been able to circulate about in the last decade or more. The rest of the house was in shambles, furniture overturned, the screen to the TV shattered and his mother's beloved potted plants that she'd been so proud of lying dead on the floor amidst a pile of broken ceramic pots and a pile of bone-dry potting soil.

_It's a good thing I didn't do that,_ Roxas thought. _If I had, Mom would've _killed_ me!_ Cautiously, Roxas stepped over the mess, being extra careful so as not to step in it and track it throughout the house. Well did he recall how many times he'd been guilty of _that_ offense! He wriggled his way between the wall and his father's tattered old overstuffed leather armchair, the one his mother had always vowed to throw out someday. A whiff of his father's cologne wafted up from the aged material, bringing back memories he'd thought had faded beyond recall. His father had always been sitting there when he'd come home from school or hanging out with his friends, waiting to hear of the day's events, and he'd always been the delighted son to eagerly relate his day. Roxas suddenly found himself wondering where they were.

As he proceeded through the rest of the living room and into the kitchen area, Roxas discovered a bucket of laundry tossed about in the middle of the floor, the bucket off to one side of the hall. Curious, he picked up one of the various shirts and examined it, shocked to find out that it was his "lucky" shirt from his youth, the one Naminé had given him. He'd brought his shirt back to his mother to have her wash it for him, and he'd never seen it since then. Bringing it close to his nose, he gave it a tentative sniff. The fabric was long out of the dryer, but there was the ever-familiar smell of his mother's favorite laundry detergent on it, the one that was so strong with perfume that it almost made him sneeze. He'd almost forgotten that smell…

_But why would Mom just drop perfectly clean laundry down on the floor? That just isn't her! And why would the house be in such a mess? If I'd left the house like this, both Mom and Dad would be on my case! What in the Hell is going on?_ Roxas thought, slinging his shirt over his shoulder. He found his socks, his favorite pants and his "lucky" jacket, all of them unfortunately too small for him. He discovered in his jacket pocket the two terry friendship rings that he'd always worn, one ivory white and the other jet-black. _The black one matched the ones that Hayner, Pence and Olette wore all the time…I'd won them at the Carnival of Dreams long ago…and the white one…the white one was the one Naminé gave me…she was wearing the match…she called it her "promise ring"…_

Roxas walked into the kitchen. The mop, which had landed crossways in the doorway, almost immediately attacked him and effectively blocked his entrance. With a sharp growl, Roxas snapped his leg in and out, and while out, he unleashed a kick so powerful that it split the mop in two. Stepping over the broken pieces, Roxas found his kitchen and dining room area to be a total disaster, the sink piled with dishes in sore need of cleaning, the refrigerator filled with spoiled food, the dining room table flipped over like one would erect a barricade in defense against attack. Evidence of a struggle was preserved in agonizing detail, layers of dust covering everything it could reach.

_This place looks like a war zone for dust bunnies! What happened here? The house is a mess, everything's covered with dust, the chores aren't done…it almost makes me wonder where Mom and Dad are…_ Roxas swiped his fingers across the dusty dining room table, cutting through a layer of dust at least an inch thick like a knife to butter. He pulled his hand back, rubbing the pads of his fingers against one another to rid himself of the offending dust as he pondered why this house was so different than the warm home he recalled from his youth. _Where is my family…?_

"Roxas?" Sora's voice drifted throughout the house.

"Here!" Roxas called back as he studied the dining room further. "I'm in the dining room, guys!"

Sora walked into the kitchen with KazeRyu and Naomé at his sides. His eyes went wide as they took in the sight of the overturned house. "Holy…_crap_. What happened here?"

"Beats me," Roxas replied, righting the table and setting the dining room back to normal. He turned to his friends and gave them a winning smile. "Wanna help me out?"

Naomé had already set herself about the grim task of cleaning the kitchen. She'd pulled all the dirty dishes out of the sink, and was just about to fill it with hot, soapy water when she noticed something wrong…_way _wrong. "Roxas…the dishes at the bottom of the pile are clean!"

"_What?_" Roxas said, coming over to take a look. Pulling one of the dishes out, he noticed that aside from dust and an occasional food particle, the dish was indeed sparkling clean…just like he'd always been told to clean them. "That's odd…I _thought_ that sink looked a little full for just two people. Mom was never one to leave dirty dishes around, and Dad was just as clean. I wondered why they would let things get so crazy." "Maybe they're on vacation," Sora offered.

"To where? Destiny Islands?" Roxas retorted, setting the dish on the counter.

Sora frowned angrily. "That's _not_ funny."

KazeRyu, meanwhile, had taken to cleaning the living room. Using his impressive strength, he flipped over the overturned sofa by himself, righted the tipped over TV, and had restored a fallen bookcase to its original place. However, when he'd turned towards the back of the living room to right an upturned curio cabinet, he noticed a sudden change in the air. There was fresh air coming from upstairs…and another scent… one that he knew quite well…

Roxas almost didn't hear KazeRyu calling him. "What is it, KazeRyu?"

"Were you upstairs recently?"

"No. Why?"

KazeRyu came walking into the dining room from the entrance by the stairs. "Because I can smell fresh air coming from up there, and I think my nose is picking up on some other scents." He said, giving Roxas the _I'm not kidding_ look that Naomé knew all too well. He'd already given her that look once today.

Roxas and Sora stopped cleaning the dining room, nearly dropping the dusting rags they held in their hands as they stared in startled surprise at KazeRyu. "What!"

"What kinds of scents?" Naomé questioned, giving KazeRyu a curious glance.

"Follow me and maybe you will find out," KazeRyu replied gruffly, turning on his heels and heading back into the living room. _I do not want to freak them out, but… I think I smell blood…_

_Twilight Town – Station Heights – Roxas's House – Second Level_

The second level of Roxas's house was just as messy as the first, covered in thick layers of dust, smelling of sour air and gray from age. Roxas's feet echoed as he stepped on the dust-ridden runners that went down the hallway, the carpet taken up long ago because his father had wanted to repair the floor boards underneath. The boards squeaked in protest at being trod upon, forcing the four friends to more than once leap aside for fear of falling through to the first floor below.

Sora suddenly stopped, his nose detecting an odd smell…and acrid smell that reminded him of rusty iron…he whipped his head around in the direction of the offending stench, his steps taking him towards the bathroom.

Naomé, too, picked up on an odd scent, one that made her nose hairs curl in horror. It smelled like…_something decaying…_ She shuddered in an attempt to rid herself of the reeking smell, plugging her nose with her thumb and index finger of her left hand. "Geez! Something _died_ up here!"

"Maybe it was an old cat," KazeRyu remarked offhandedly. "Cats always stink _really bad_ when they die…so do rats and any kind of rodent. Anything that stinks that bad must be related to a type of vermin."

"Shut up," Roxas said irritably. "My family didn't own a cat. We didn't have a goldfish to keep in a bowl! The only pets we had were the strays that hung around here, and most of those got taken to the pound!"

Sora's sudden high-pitched yelp of fright sent everybody backtracking to the hall bathroom, where he was standing in the doorway leading into it, pale as death and eyes frozen wide in terror. Roxas and Naomé crowded around him while KazeRyu loomed over his head, all four adventurers aghast at what they saw.

The bathroom had been wrecked, tiles cracked and broken off the walls, pieces of them laying everywhere, turning the area into a disaster zone. The window above the shower was cracked like the tiles within, the missile that'd hit it leaving behind a ripple-shaped pattern in the otherwise normal glass pane. The shower curtains had been torn off the rings, hanging limply like pieces of string.

Roxas gasped when he caught something glistening in the bathroom sink. Pushing Sora and Naomé out of the way, he shoved his way into the bathroom and grabbed the mysterious object gleaming at him, turning it over and over in his hands. His eyes glazed over with unshed tears as he recognized the globe his beloved Naminé had given him years ago for their anniversary. Set atop the hand carved, hand polished base sat a beautiful orb of glass that had been created from the sands down at the beach by a local glassmaker. Called "Sunset Glass," it was said to be able to display all the colors of the beautiful sunsets that Twilight Town was famous for, from the lightest golden yellow to the darkest shades of crimson.

Naomé was about to ask Roxas what he was holding, when she suddenly caught something out of the corner of her eye. Squeezing her way into the bathroom, she edged over to the bathtub and began to analyze the shower curtains. Suddenly, with a horrified gasp, she pulled her hand back with the vinyl, shock making her freeze up. She just stared at the curtain, terrified.

"What is it, Naomé?" KazeRyu asked. "What is wrong?"

His friend responded by holding the vinyl sheet up for the Wind Dragon and the Keybearer to see. The fabric was covered in a dark reddish substance, a dried liquid that both men could easily recognize:

_Blood._

Roxas swirled on his heels at hearing a slight gasp from Sora. When he caught sight of Naomé's hand, he almost dropped the crystal globe in his hands as he stared in horror at her. "Oh, my God! Naomé, are you hurt?"

"No, Roxas," Naomé replied. "However, I think you might want to take a look at the curtains." She held the curtain up for him to see. "They're covered in old blood."

_Blood…! No…!_ Roxas felt his mind turn a somersault in his skull. There was blood all over the shower curtains, main and liner, dark red from age and crusted into the fabric like a dye. _Mom! Dad! Does that old blood belong to one of you?_

"Look," Sora said, pointing to the floor beneath his shoes. "There's a trail of it on the tile floor. It's leading out of the bathroom. Let's follow it and see where it goes."

"There wasn't any blood on the stairs," Naomé speculated. "So, I'm guessing that the trail must be leading towards another interior section of the house. But, what's left?"

Roxas felt sick. "There's my room, the master bedroom, master bathroom and the attic. Other than that, I don't think there could be anywhere else, since I, like Naomé, didn't see anything like dried blood anywhere downstairs or on the stairs when we were coming up."

KazeRyu sniffed the air carefully, recognizing the smell of musty, dusty air. However, he could still detect the smell of old blood in the air, and it was heading towards the end of the hall. When he looked down the hallway, he noticed that the door at the end of the hall was partially open. He pointed this out to his friends, who suddenly became especially piqued by his findings. The other thing about that door that caught their interest was that there were stains of old blood on the door itself!

Fear threatening to make him break down, Roxas pushed ahead of his friends and headed towards the door, boots carefully treading on the dusty old carpeting that has preserved the blood trail from the hall bathroom with almost supernatural accuracy. His eyes locked on the blood trail, tracing its path up to the white door ahead of him. His gaze shifted focus to the bloody handprint that was on one of the panels, along with the dried blood on the doorknob, terror making his heart race. Was that his mother's handprint?

Suddenly, Roxas felt himself being pushed aside. He grimaced fiercely as KazeRyu swept regally past him, reverently laying his hand on the door and pushing it open. He was about to reply with a hot retort when the sight of the room before him made his heart stop.

The master bedroom was in a state of horrible disarray, everything overturned and out of place, covered in layers of dust and illuminated by the dull light streaming in through a broken window. Furniture was cracked or broken, drawers from the dresser were ripped out off their tracks and scattered all over the place. Air thick with the scent of rain on its way permeated everything in the room, the carpets revealing years of water damage from precipitation coming in from outside. In the middle of the room, the master bed, mattress and all, was overturned and broken, sheets fluttering like ghosts.

Naomé stared in horror. "What in the name of Kingdom Hearts happened in here? This looks just as bad as downstairs! Something terrible must have gone on while you were gone, Roxas!"

Sora, holding his breath in fear, slowly entered the room alongside Roxas. He closely watched as his friend circled the room, eyes cast to the floor in speculation of the scene. However, as they drew closer to the entryway to the master bathroom, Sora's nostrils detect an acrid smell…the smell of rotting death. However, so as not to startle Roxas, he kept his mouth firmly shut and said nothing of it while he helped him search the rest of the room.

Glancing at KazeRyu, Naomé proceeded to the master bathroom, covering her nose and mouth with the sleeve of her jacket. She felt KazeRyu draw close to her back and heard his own slow, muffled breathing from behind his own sleeve as they entered the master bathroom before Roxas could get the chance to.

Like the bathroom in the hallway, the master bathroom was a total mess, except this one was covered in a great deal more blood. Blood had splattered on most of the fixtures in the room, the sink was stained a deep crimson hue, the mirror looked like a stained glass panel, and even the tiles had not been spared a new paint job.

"Gods," KazeRyu hissed. "Where did all this blood come from?"

"I don't think any of us want to know," Naomé whispered back, pointing to the walk-in shower, where rivulets of blood had long ago come seeping out along the grout lines in the tile and spilling out into the middle of the room like a miniature flood. "What do you want to bet it's inside that shower, KazeRyu?"

KazeRyu sucked in his breath. "I hardly want to do this, but better me than Roxas," He grumbled, heading over to the shower and peeking around the tiled corner. Almost instantly, his ears and body went so rigid Naomé would've sworn that their master had been turned into a statue. But, she was completely taken by surprise as he lunged backwards with frightening speed, rapidly darting past her and slamming the bathroom door shut. She heard the _click!_ of the lock and immediately noticed how suffocating the stench had suddenly become. She coughed harshly to give him a clue, whereupon he promptly answered by opening the window.

"What'd you do that for?" Naomé snapped once she was able to breathe again.

"Don't tell Roxas what is in there," KazeRyu whispered, eyeing her sternly.

Naomé knew immediately what was inside that shower, and the horror of the tragedy made her stomach churn so horribly that she was compelled to vomit. She knew then and there that she could never have the stomach to tell Roxas that his parents had been murdered in their own house. But she _did_ know that she could summon up at least a _little_ courage to see the scene for herself. She bickered with KazeRyu until he was forced into letting her see what was in there.

The stench was stronger than anywhere on the second level, exponentially intensifying her urge to throw up. The shower walls and floor were covered in blood, tiles cracked and broken, and in the middle of the floor lay a grossly decomposed skeleton, holding a bar of soap and razor in its now bony fingers. A shower clock and radio, long dead from the batteries dying, hung from the shower caddy, the skeleton's other hand reaching out as though to change the station. But, what disturbed Naomé overall was what she saw caught in the drain trap: short, golden-brown-blonde hair…the exact same color as Roxas's.

"KazeRyu," Naomé whispered, tears in her eyes. "This was _Roxas's father._"

The celestial werewolf nodded. "That is why I said not to say anything."

"Yes, but…if that's his _father_, then where is his-"

"_No!_"

Roxas's scream exploded from the other side of the master bathroom door, startling Naomé and KazeRyu out of their pants. Thinking it was some type of enemy, they bolted for the door, hastily unlocked it, and almost literally threw it off its hinges. They rushed into the room, only to have a sickening sight greeting them.

Sora was standing with his back against the wall across from the master bathroom, completely dumbstruck with shock. His terrified expression caught Naomé's frightened glance, and when she soundlessly asked him what was wrong, he motioned towards the floor beside the bed with the motion of his eyes. What Naomé saw next made her heart shatter and her knees go so weak that she thought she was going to drop to the carpet out of grief and fear.

Roxas Avalon was crouched down next to the overturned bed, head in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably, body shaking with anguish. Right before him was a puddle of dried blood, and from underneath the mattress was a skeletal hand and forearm, laying outstretched in the middle of the puddle. Laying tucked underneath the arm was a teddy bear with curly brown-blonde hair and shiny black button eyes.

Naomé felt her heart leap into her throat. She collapsed next to her friend and gently touched him. She could see all the color had drained out of his face, making him look like a ghost. "Roxas, what…?"

Face stained with tears, Roxas turned and regarded his friend over his shoulder, unable to speak. Without a word he handed her a piece of blood-soaked notebook paper. He stared at Naomé with the most heartbroken expression she'd ever seen as she slowly unrolled the paper. Her heart stopped once more as she silently read the words written in black ballpoint pen:

_Dear Mom and Dad:_

_My friend Sora and I are going to find Naminé and bring her back. I don't know how long I'm going to be gone, but however long it is, know that I will always love you. Please do not worry about me, for I am in capable hands. I promise you that when I find Naminé, regardless of her fate, I will come back home. Take care while I'm gone._

_Love,_

_Roxas_


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Storm Chasers

_Twilight Town – Station Heights – Roxas's House – First Level_

KazeRyu and Sora had dragged Roxas from the master bedroom and back down into the living room, whereupon they had plunked him into his father's chair. The air grew heavier with humidity and the sky grew darker as silent hours passed. No one was able to speak a word. All they could do was stare into the gloom of the living room, unable to look at one another.

Roxas was a soundless mound of nothing, a young man silent in a child's grief. His want was to cry uncontrollably, to collapse into a heap on the floor and lay there for eternity, hoping one day that his own house would swallow him up and embrace him in its deathly grip in hopes of ridding him of the terrible heartbreak he was suffering. Thoughts of his childhood swam through his memory, shadowy dreams that carried on through the house, bringing back memories that he'd thought to have been long dead. The musty, crumbling house faded away, revealing the glorious home that it'd been for so long. He could see himself, a tow-headed young boy, running in from outside, dropping his backpack on the floor and dashing towards the kitchen, where his mother had always been busy cooking something for his dad, who would be sitting in the chair he was in now, reading the newspaper.

_What did my parents do to deserve this?_ Roxas thought gloomily as he allowed his head to drop into his hands. _How could anybody do something this horrible and not feel guilty about it?_

Naomé felt terrible. Poor Roxas. What a homecoming for him. This was obviously the last thing that anyone would expect to happen to their family. Roxas had left home ten years before, filled with the desire to retrieve a precious treasure that'd been stolen from him. And then, after he'd discovered that he was too late to recover his treasure, he'd left for a while, unable to return out of overwhelming grief. And then, when he'd decided to return, even if it were for a brief time before he helped Sora Seal Kingdom Hearts, he had done so, only to discover home was destroyed, his memories ruined, and the family he so dearly cherished more than life itself was gone forever, brutally murdered for no obvious reason except that of that their murderer had done it in the name of fun.

Gritting her teeth, Naomé realized there was only one remedy to the brooding Roxas Avalon. Ignoring Sora's glance at her, she marched across the living room and, with great difficulty, managed to hike Roxas to his feet, grunting as she began dragging him to the front door. As she pushed him outside in the gloomy atmosphere, she called back her hastily devised instructions at Sora and KazeRyu. "I'm taking Roxas for a walk. Why don't you two clean up the rest of the house while we're gone?"

Sora rose from the sofa, obviously about to object, but a firm hand and harsh shove from KazeRyu sent the Keybearer back down into the torn cushions, raising a cloud of dust and polyester stuffing like an artificial blizzard all about him. He glowered at his wolf cohort, eyes alight with wrath.

KazeRyu locked his gaze onto Sora's death glare. "I know what you are thinking, but Naomé is right. The best thing for Roxas is to get out of this house and somewhere where he can clear his mind of this mess. His parents are dead, and there is nothing we can do to change that. However, we _can_ try to make things right here."

"I guess you're right, KazeRyu," Sora said bitterly. "But, I'd still like to talk to Roxas. I know now what I couldn't say a few hours ago. I mean, the look on his face…how could I ever forget something as horrible as what was upstairs?"

"I have never had to face anything so terrible in my entire lifetime," KazeRyu replied. "I do not want to ever face anything like that again, even though I always knew that these kinds of things could happen at any time and place. And, I always knew I would have to face it alone."

Sora frowned. "But, unlike you, KazeRyu, Roxas is not alone…at least, not anymore…"

_Twilight Town – Station Heights – The Usual Spot_

Naomé had made Roxas take her to a place where he could feel comfortable talking to her. He had obligingly leaded her to a place he called "The Usual Spot," a place he'd constantly visited in his childhood. It had also been where he'd spent real quality time with his best friends Hayner, Pence and Olette.

_This reminds me of the "Tunnel of Lost Dreams" back at home!_ The young woman thought as she settled into the tattered, threadbare couch that was sunken in the middle from years of being sat upon. She looked over at Roxas, who was crashed on what had once been an old boiler turned into a fireplace. Of course, the fire inside hadn't been lit, so Roxas was perched on the icy cold metal, arms folded across his eyes in despair, voice silent as a tomb.

Roxas remained immobilized for quite some time, barely breathing as he watched Naomé from beneath his arms, slowly looking her over. _She dragged me out of my own home to try and help me…! She didn't want to see me upset like I was in there…maybe there's more to Naomé Windom than I previously thought…_

Somehow, Naomé sensed Roxas was watching her. She rose from the sofa and began to walk towards the entryway, only to pause in mid-step and turned halfway around, locking her sights with her grieving friend as she noticed that Roxas's right arm had come down, while his left was draped across his forehead. He was giving her a look that seemed to go right through her, as though she was hiding something from him. _But, how could I? I barely even know him…! What did I do to make him stare at me like that? It's _so_ creepy! Do I remind him of somebody he knew when he lived here?_

She was about to move, but stopped when Roxas found his voice.

"Wait. Please don't leave me here. I don't want to be alone."

Naomé was stunned. "I'm not leaving you, Roxas. I was just heading to the gate to take a look at Twilight Town from here. I'm curious to what this place looks like."

Roxas scowled darkly. "It's nothing like it used to be," He growled. But then his voice grew soft again. "You would've like my home back when it was beautiful, Naomé. Maybe after we help Sora restore Kingdom Hearts, we can come back here and I can take you to some of my favorite places…" His thoughts died as he recalled that many of his hangout spots were where his parents had always loved to visit. _Sunset Terrace, Central Station, Sunset Hill…_ What was he going to do, now that he didn't have anyone to enjoy those sights with him? How could he go to those places, knowing well that his parents would no longer be there to watch another glorious sunset with him, enjoy their favorite flavors of Sea Salt Ice Cream, even just take long walks along Dusky Pointe to watch Twilight Lighthouse begin its rhythmic blinking at sundown? And what about his friends? Would he ever see them again? Or were they, like his parents, victims of grisly murders, their bodies left to rot away to dust?

"Roxas," Naomé said slowly, aware she was touching a tetchy subject. "Could you tell me what your parents were like?"

"My…parents?" Roxas asked. "Well…they were nice people. Mom was always ready with a smile and a home-cooked meal for you. And Dad? Ha, Dad would be right at the door to greet you with a firm handshake and a courteous hello. Both of them were so kind and loving that I wished everybody had parents like mine. To be honest, I think that if they'd been able to meet you, they would've liked you a lot. I don't know about KazeRyu, but I think they would get used to him after a while. Why? What are your parents like?"

Naomé sighed heavily, agate gray eyes reflecting and darkening against the gray skies. "My father died when I was five. Because I was born half American, half Japanese, my family and I were relocated to the Key Islands, where I've lived to this day."

"Wow…what killed your old man?"

"Heart attack."

"_Geez!_ And your mom?"

Naomé smiled fondly as she recalled her loving mother. "She survived it. I found out just how strong a woman she was when she was forced to take care of me all by herself, which she had to provide for both of us until I was old enough to get a job. Sometimes, I wondered how difficult it was for her to be my mother, knowing that the only thing keeping her from the rest of her family was me, her lousy, half-breed daughter."

"Lousy half-breed?" Roxas echoed. "You? Well, pardon my saying so, but for a half-breed, you look just fine to me. I mean, you're _Human_, anyway, so that's got to count for something. Now, as for me, I was always different from everyone else. I was always taller, smarter, faster, and stronger than the 'average kid.' Whatever it was, just you name it, and I was that. But, that's what made my Mom and Dad different, too. They didn't see how strange I was whenever someone mentioned something they thought was 'weird' about me. No, they loved me just like they always did before, not caring _what_ I was, just as long as I was…well…_their son_…"

Hearing noise behind her, Naomé turned around and found Roxas had moved to the couch, where he'd flopped himself down on his stomach, burying his sharp features into the dusty fabric, mussing up his tawny golden brown-blonde hair into an even worse unruly mop than it already was. She strained her ears to hear him sigh, but was shocked to discover that she could also hear him weeping silently into the couch.

"Roxas?"

No answer.

"Roxas Avalon?"

Roxas still did not answer her.

Naomé, concerned, walked back over to the couch. She sat down on the edge of the cushions, her heart aching at the strength of the emotions that'd resurfaced from her past. Gently placing a hand on Roxas's quivering back, she tried to smile and gave the powerful shoulders an awkward, reassuring pat. "Hey, there…what's wrong, Roxas? Why the tears, eh?"

"Never mind…you probably wouldn't understand, anyway…"

"Maybe I do. Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Roxas shook his head. "No. I don't want to talk about it."

Naomé shook Roxas's shoulder roughly. "Hey, you. I took you out of that dump so you could talk to somebody about how you were feeling without looking and feeling like a baby. Now, would you _please_ talk to me, Roxas? I don't want to see you like this. It's not like you to be this way. This isn't the Roxas I know and call my friend."

_What did she say?_ Roxas thought, turning his head to see Naomé looking down at him, eyes full of concern and worry. Embarrassed that she might see the tears on his face, he turned away again, trying to ignore the comforting touch that was now rubbing his shoulder in a sympathetic manner. _Why is she this concerned about me? We…we're still basically strangers to one another! How can someone care so much about a total stranger?_

Roxas suddenly flipped over onto his back, managing to snatch the hand that'd been comforting him. He looked up at Naomé, suddenly unafraid of her seeing his tear-stained face. "Naomé, how is it that you care about me so much?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you barely even know me, and yet you're treating me as though we've always been friends. I mean, you're trying to help me cope with I just saw today like any one of my old friends from here would have done long ago. Why?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to say, but…I believe that it's because I trust you."

"You _what?_"

"I trust you, Roxas Avalon," Naomé said, flashing Roxas her best possible imitation of his winning, infectious smile. "You're just one of those people that you can trust instantly. You know, kind of like Sora."

Roxas smiled back, but Naomé could tell that it was only a halfhearted attempt, for she saw the pain and loneliness immediately creep back into his eyes and give them that faraway look. Sorrow clouded his face, drawing out the stony frown that'd tightened his features once more. The grip on her hand gained pressure, as though he were squeezing her hand just to see if she was still there. His gaze met hers in a heartbeat, the rainy day outside turning Roxas's eyes a dusky blue-gray, intensifying his depressed mood to the point where it was clearly written on his face. Naomé felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed into that piercing glance. Something about it shocked her, and she didn't know why…

"Naomé, did you cry for your Dad?" Roxas asked after a while.

"Did I…_what?_" Naomé gasped, blinking. "Of course I did! What kind of daughter would I be if I didn't? Certainly not the kind my mother and father raised me to be! Roxas, why-"

"Because I wanted to know if it was okay if I cried in front of you," Roxas said hurriedly, cutting Naomé off completely and throwing her for a total loop. "I mean, I didn't want to do it if you minded…"

Naomé was shocked. Roxas was _asking_ her if it was all right for him to cry in front of her? Hadn't he just discovered that his parents were _murdered?_ Why would it matter if she _cared_ if he cried or not? He would be crying for his mother and father, whom he had never really got to say good-bye to! She thought these questions and more as she took her other hand and slapped his cheek with the tips of her fingers so as not to hurt him. "Why would I care if you cried or not, you idiot?"

Roxas, embarrassed, turned his gaze towards the back of the couch. "Because I didn't want you to think I was a baby or something like that."

"_Argh!_" Naomé grunted in exasperation, this time slapping Roxas's cheek outright. "Do I have to repeat myself to you? Blasphemies!" She hissed, using her favorite phrase to voice her frustrations. "If you're going to cry, just hurry up and go ahead before I give you another reason to shed tears!"

_She doesn't mind?_ Roxas thought, a tear unwittingly streaking down his cheek. He looked up into her stern face, and realized that no matter what he did while he was there, she wouldn't tell a soul. He allowed his emotions to overcome him, finally knocking the wall that'd held them back down to the ground. Burying his face once more into the couch, Roxas Avalon sobbed bitterly, choking on his tears as wave after cresting wave of grief overpowered his fragile, tender, shattered soul.

_Later that Evening_

_Twilight Town – Station Heights – The Usual Spot_

Roxas awoke to the sound of complete silence. He felt an old bed sheet covering his body, the same one that'd usually been on the back of the sofa he was still laying on. _I fell asleep? I don't even remember it…_

Although Twilight Town had been silent when he'd arrived earlier that afternoon, the night was worse, pitch-black and full of long, mysterious shadows that enveloped just about everything they could touch in darkness. The town was especially dark, owing to the fact that the clouds blocked the usually brilliant rays of the moon.

Rolling over onto his side, he saw Naomé had fallen asleep next to the boiler, which was burning brightly in the gloom. Obviously, she had gone out sometime during his nap and had gathered pieces of wreckage to keep a warm fire going in that chilly night air. She'd covered herself over by taking the tattered blanket that'd been tossed over in the corner for Heaven knew how long, binding her body up in it and huddling against the boiler, struggling to keep warm. She was tossing and turning and grumbling in her sleep. She was obviously in the throes of a particularly bad dream. Occasionally, Roxas thought he heard her crying., and it sounded so painful that it broke his heart.

_Why didn't she go back to my place? It's certainly a lot warmer there than here! She could've even used my bed if she'd wanted to! I wouldn't have minded, that's for sure,_ Roxas thought as he carefully crawled off of the couch, taking great care not to make the old springs squeak like they used to when Olette would jump off, which had caused a racket that still made Roxas's ears pin back against the sides of his head when he thought about it. _I'd always said I was going to do something about those springs…_

The sight of Naomé sleeping fitfully on the ground just didn't seem right. His friend deserved a better place to rest her head than that! Determined to make Naomé more comfortable than she currently was, Roxas fluffed the throw pillows and kicked and turned the sofa cushions back into shape. Then, gently so as not to wake her, Roxas picked Naomé up off the ground. He carried her over to the sofa, laid her down on it, tossed the sheet that'd been on the sofa on top of the one she already had, and tenderly tucked her in. With a grin of fondness, like one a big brother would give to his little sister, he gave Naomé's hair a soft but playful tousle. His expression became somber and full of concern as he wiped the tears off her face with his hand. She looked so upset…he wished there was more he could do for her…

"Thanks for being there fore me, Naomé," Roxas whispered. "I really needed a friend earlier today. I didn't say it earlier, but I'm really lucky and really happy to have a friend like you. Now, try and get some sleep. I'll come back for you in a little while, okay?"

Amazingly, Naomé nodded in reply, although she was still sound asleep. She _had_ stopped crying, though, which to Roxas meant her nightmare was over. He smiled, and then slowly walked out of The Usual Spot. Maybe taking a walk would help _him_ try and get some sleep, too…

A thick fog had rolled in from some unknown source, blanketing the ground so that it made navigating the walkways difficult for even those who knew Twilight Town's bricked paths well. Roxas was no exception, as even he found the going tricky, and stumbled more than once from both the darkness and the fog. Swearing as he paused to rub a stubbed toe, Roxas could've sworn that he saw some kind of shadow skulking about up ahead.

_That shadow was pretty good sized…could that have been someone's ghost? Nah, what are you thinking, Avalon? There's no such thing as ghosts! Or _are_ there…?_

Gathering up his courage, Roxas decided to surprise the figure. Using the fog as his cover, Roxas melted back into the shadows in an attempt to completely disguise himself from his prey. Activating his KeyStaff, Roxas Avalon slowly crept among the shadows and fog, tailing his victim with the accuracy of a stealthy assassin. It was exactly the way Axel Balthazar had trained him…eight long years ago…

The figure was unaware of their being stalked, moving along like silk across water, their heavy boots surprisingly making no sound at all as they glided through the fog, the wispy tendrils of thickened moisture parting before them as though it was bowing to a mighty god. A slight zephyr rippled their dark robes, nearly pushing the hood away from their face, the response to which was a gloved hand coming up and readjusting it.

Now Roxas was certain of what'd he'd just stumbled across. This was an Organization XIII member! He hadn't told Naomé or the others, but he'd had a sneaky suspicion that his former comrades (ha! ha!) had been responsible for the deaths of his parents. After all, they'd killed everyone else, so why not those who were related to the (former) members? However, as Roxas drew closer, a sudden wave of guilt swept over him. _This had to be Xemnas's doing! He killed my parents as a warning in case I ever showed up! He killed my parents because he was angry with me! But, even though he killed them, I as good as did it myself!_

As he watched his quarry glide along, Roxas's sorrow transformed into an angry inferno that burned up inside of his soul like a dragon, the power and heat rapidly gaining momentum until it almost literally exploded into his body, a three-alarm blaze that seared his skin from the inside out. Angry and unable to control himself, Roxas exploded out into the moonlight, yelling after his tracked foe. "_Hey, you!_"

The figure turned halfway around, took one good look at Roxas, and then took off in a dead run, fading into the graying light.

"Curse you, you dirty rat! Get back here!" Roxas hissed venomously as he tore off into the fog. His heart pounded in his ears as he gained speed and closed the distance between his enemy and himself. There was no way he was going to let his enemy escape!

_Twilight Town – Station Heights – Roxas's House – First Level_

Sora awoke to Naomé frantically yelling out his name. He jumped up from the sofa to see her come running into Roxas's house, nearly skidding into a trip as she slid on the hallway floor rug. Her golden blonde hair was wild and sticking out everywhere, her eyes were wide in panic, and she had two tattered blankets draped over her shoulders like a lined cape. "Naomé! What-"

"Roxas is gone!" Naomé said the three words like a spell.

"_What?_" Sora and KazeRyu both leaped to their feet. "Where'd he go?"

Naomé shook her head fretfully, eyes wide in panicked terror. "I don't know! He was with me before we both fell asleep!"

Sora was going to be sick. "You were _sleeping_ with him? That's _gross!_"

"Not _literally_, you sick-minded freak!" Naomé spat. "We were in the same _place,_ not in the same _bed!_ Give me a break, Keybearer!"

KazeRyu also upbraided Sora. "That is not important, Sora! Roxas is missing, and we do not where to start looking! He could not have gone far in this fog, so let us use it to our advantage and find him!"

The three adventures burst out into the night; eyes keen for their missing comrade, a Keyblade and a sword reflecting moonlight like shining beacons of hope.

_Twilight Town – Tram Commons_

Roxas was currently engaged. Having tracked his foe down towards the heart of Twilight Town, he now used his knowledge of the area to try and corner them. However, he was hard put, as it seemed that his foe knew Twilight Town, as well.

"Curse you _again!_" He hissed as his prey thwarted him with a clever turn, looping around through the alleys and out into Tram Commons. When Roxas came out one side, his foe came out on the opposite side, making it _extremely_ difficult for Roxas to get a lock on his enemy's position. This intricate dance of "catch me if you can" continued for what seemed like ages, until Roxas fooled his foe. By faking a turn to the left, when in fact planning to go right, Roxas was able to successfully figure out how to catch up to his intended victim. He paused for a moment, then leaped in front of his quarry.

The figure, startled at Roxas's wit, took off once again, leading Roxas out of Tram Commons and towards a mind-bending tangle of passageways. The paths were pitch-black, fog covering the floor like the rest of Twilight Town; however, the darkness made the going ever treacherous.

_The Underground Concourse, eh?_ Roxas thought as he listened for his prey's footsteps, which echoed all around him. _I should've guessed you were going to do that. It was always easy to lose someone in there. I tried it, too…every time I wanted to tick Seifer off. That reminds me…did he die, too?_

Sensing his altitude dropping, Roxas knew he was now heading into the bowels of the passage, eyes desperately searching for the neon signs that would act as his road map. However, the electricity in Twilight Town had vanished many years ago, making Roxas's search for light one of vain. Cursing and swearing horribly that he didn't have a way to see, he plugged gamely on, relying on his senses alone to find his foe.

_Twilight Town – Back Alley_

Lunging and dodging about, KazeRyu moved along at a pretty good clip, ears and nose on the alert for any sign of danger and Roxas. He cursed aloud, making his irritation clear. "Curse his stupid soul! What in the name of Kingdom Hearts possessed him to go running off? Does he not know that this place could still be full of demons?"

"_Nobodies and Heartless,_" Sora growled.

"Whatever! He is still an idiot!"

"Sora, don't worry about correcting KazeRyu too much," Naomé whispered in Sora's ear. "Roxas and I have already given up on that one. And technically they _are_ demons, since they're so evil, so we should just let him call them what he wants. Besides, we know what he's talking about."

The Keybearer sighed in exasperation. Well was he aware that he was going to have a hard time getting used to his new "teammates." He'd told himself that when he'd met them back in Hollow Bastion.

_Twilight Town – Sunset Terrace_

A pile of rubble took a hit from Roxas's KeyStaff, shattering it into splinters. Roxas was now only about twice his KeyStaff's length away from his enemy. Far away, he could hear distant thunder rumbling, saw lightning flashed about in the night sky, lighting the clouds with eerie light patterns. The wind picked up, and the smell of rain was stronger than it'd had been all day. He knew instinctively that rain was on its way. _Maybe it will help clear things up…_

His foe tried to take a sharp turn, nearly fell, but managed a miraculous recovery and kept on running, taking Roxas out of the Underground Passage and into Sunset Terrace. Higher in altitude than the main section of Twilight Town, Sunset Terrace had once been a quiet retreat for those who just wanted to get away for a day or two. Now, it was just as destroyed as the rest of Twilight Town, covered with fog and years of decay.

Roxas was not as familiar with Sunset Terrace as he was with the main section of Twilight Town, but he knew enough to not feel the threat of losing his foe due to not knowing the lay of the land. He ducked beneath a fallen beam and waited. He held his breath in hopes his foe would approach.

The crunching of heavy boots on gravel alerted Roxas to his enemy's drawing near. He backed up, immersing himself in the shadows. Holding his breath, he patiently waited, not a muscle moving in his entire body. He was going to teach his foe a thing or two about running from Roxas Avalon, that was for darned sure!

As the figure drew closer, Roxas was aware of his foe's racing heartbeat as though it were his own, smell the fear of being pursued. _Gods, I know how that feels…I was always looking over my shoulder…I just couldn't help it. There were some people you just didn't trust in Twilight Town. Speaking of them, I wonder whatever happened to them? It's not that I care, but I'm just curious to see the final fates of my enemies…to see if I outlasted them like I said I would so long ago…_

Suddenly, Roxas realized how close his foe was. With an explosive roar he threw himself out into the open, swinging his KeyStaff and catching his opponent completely off guard. He swung with all of his might, managing to strike his foe clearly in the chest, hurling them backwards and off their feet like a bat striking a baseball. They crashed into a pile of rubble and lay there, stunned.

Roxas was panting from the run, his body damp with sweat, which made the air even chillier than it actually was. He couldn't believe that the chase had ended so suddenly, with just a single swipe of his KeyStaff. Surely the Organization hadn't gone soft in the years since taking over Kingdom Hearts? They were usually so much harder to defeat than this!

Cautiously, he approached his fallen enemy, noticing that their robes were dark blue and embellished with a burnished gold metal instead of silver. _Don't tell me…another foe has come to take Kingdom Hearts from the Infiltrators and the Organization? This is just what Kingdom Hearts _doesn't_ need! It's bad enough the universe is in crisis to begin with, and now we have to deal with a new organization? Wonderful! Sora's gonna be _so_ happy to hear about this…not!_

Suddenly, the figure sprang back up, hurled a chunk of rubble in Roxas's direction as hard as they could and didn't wait the few seconds to see if he'd dodged it or not. The robed figure lunged over the top of another pile of rubble, jumping over pile after pile of junk as they headed back towards the Underground Concourse.

Roxas had, in fact, managed to dodge the missile, and was now weaving through the wreckage faster than the "creature" had jumped over it. _Oh, no you don't_, he thought as he used his KeyStaff to effortlessly vault over a shattered wall. _It's gonna take you a lot more than a little parlor trick like that to escape Roxas Avalon!_

_Twilight Town – Station Plaza_

"I have got his scent!" KazeRyu yelled over his shoulder. "He has gone over towards that dark doorway! I do not know if he went through it, but I can feel air coming out of it. _Cold air!_"

Sora's eyes went wide. "That's the Underground Concourse! That was a shortcut to Sunset Terrace, another part of Twilight Town! Why would he be heading that way?"

"He must've found something!" Naomé hollered over a clap of thunder.

_KA-BOOM!_ A lightning bolt struck the ground inches away from KazeRyu, making the celestial werewolf lunge sharply to the left. He suddenly found himself dodging a barrage of electric bolts, each coming closer to him than the last. "Gods! It looks to me that someone does not want us to find Roxas! Surely there has got to be _some_ way to stop these things!"

"Allow me!" Sora said, readying his Keyblade. "This oughta stop 'em! _Aeroga!_"

Naomé instantly recognized the incantation. "Roxas knows that spell!"

"It's a good one to know," Sora remarked with a grin as the lightning bolts bounced harmlessly off the wind-based shield. "Now we can find Roxas a lot faster! KazeRyu! Head into the Underground Passage! It may be dark in there, but I think your nose can handle it!"

KazeRyu grunted. _It sure can! Watch me!_

"The Underground Concourse? What's that?" Naomé asked as KazeRyu sped up. His timing was eerily perfect, as a forked lightning bolt struck the earth a few feet behind his heels.

"Roxas liked to use it as a shortcut," Sora explained. "Supposedly, it can lead you to various parts of Twilight Town without really being able to be found."

"Typical Roxas," Naomé chuckled. "He always tries to pick out the shortcuts."

KazeRyu sniggered.

_Twilight Town – Sandlot_

Roxas blew out of the Underground Concourse at full speed, this time arriving in a place he remembered all too well in Twilight Town: the Sandlot, home of the annual Struggle Tournament. Held every summer of every year, residents of Twilight Town gathered together and cheered on their favorites as they "struggled" to become "the strongest person in Twilight Town." Roxas had won this title the last time he'd been here, his training with his old friend Hayner finally paying off. It was the only thing that really seemed to make his "awkwardness" vanish and appear to be an asset instead of a drawback. He had his fifteen minutes of fame, but by the next morning he was back to being called "clumsy old Roxas" again.

The robed figure finally stopped running. Instead, they turned to face Roxas, this time holding a long, heavy stainless steel pipe that was as tall as they were and half the diameter of Roxas's arm. Obviously, they were planning to use the pipe as a staff and try to face Roxas down with his own skills.

_This guy's actually gonna fight me? Ha! Such arrogance! _"You're actually going to challenge me?" He snorted derisively.

The figure nodded and readied themselves in a defensive position. Despite their face was still hidden, they finally spoke, their voice hardly threatening in tone. "I had hoped to escape here undetected, but it appears you are too intelligent to lose a chase. I once knew someone like you, but I am afraid he is lost. However, when I came here to possibly find out about him, I instead found the Keyblade Master. I was going to report to my superiors my sighting of him, but it now appears that to do that I must defeat you."

Roxas scowled darkly. "I won't let anyone report to their superiors, regardless of what organization they ally themselves with! You may have found Sora, but you aren't going to leave here alive and reveal that he has returned! I will protect my friend, no matter what it takes!" He let out an almighty roar and swung his KeyStaff out again in a vicious slash.

Both Roxas and the robed figure clashed in the middle of the Sandlot, pipe and KeyStaff caught in a furious rhythm of banging and pinging. Sparks flew as metal struck and skidded along metal, appearing to be miniature bolts of lighting. They battled on, oblivious to the ever-worsening storm.

_Twilight Town – Tram Commons_

"_Swift Shadow Strike!_"

Naomé tucked her head beneath her jacket as KazeRyu's talons sundered a canvas canopy that was blocking his path. He jumped around the rubble, nose twitching as he detected Roxas's scent and the mysterious essence of his prey. "Careful, KazeRyu! At the speed you're going, Sora or I could be injured if we should fall off!"

"_Feh,_" KazeRyu retorted. "I can still smell Roxas's scent, but it also smells like either he is following someone or that someone is tailing him. Considering I picked the mysterious scent when I first came into and out of the Underground Passage, I think Roxas is going after them."

"I wonder who he's after?" Sora asked.

Naomé shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe your nose can pick that up, KazeRyu!"

KazeRyu grunted. "Maybe. There is a storm coming in, so if we're going to find Roxas, we had better find him pretty fast. If it rains, and it smells like it is, both of the scents will be lost in the water."

"If it rained, how long would we have to find him?" Naomé queried.

"Once it started raining, we would be lucky if I could track the scent for maybe a half an hour. After that, it would be near impossible to detect Roxas's movements by smell. If more than half an inch of rain falls within that first half hour of it starting, the scent will be gone within a few minutes."

Sora's voice cut through the stormy air like a bolt of lightning would. "Well, stop talking and get sniffing! We need to find Roxas!"

"Stop talking to me and I shall be able to do it faster," KazeRyu remarked.

_I _hate it_ when he does that!_ Sora thought bitterly as he tucked his Keyblade back over his shoulder. _Roxas, where are you, man? Why didn't you wait for us so we could help you?_

_Twilight Town – Sandlot_

The heavy pipe went screaming over Roxas's head, and he instinctively reacted by flicking out with his KeyStaff and locking it around the makeshift weapon and pulling down with enough force to yank the pipe down towards the ground. He dodged a brutal snap kick, then responded with a scissor kick that sent his enemy flying back away from him.

Roxas was determined to not let his foe get away from him and find their way back to their "superiors." He effectively cut off his foe's escape route with his body, locking them in a corner with no means of escape save through himself. He pressed his enemy back into the corner, and found himself wondering just exactly why his opponent didn't seem so afraid of being cornered. Didn't they realize that the less space they had the less of a range of motion their "staff" had?

"You're a tough one," The hooded figure said calmly. "It's been quite a while since I've seen anyone fight like you are. There aren't many people left in Kingdom Hearts that have the same kind of fighting spirit. It's a good thing to see."

"You're right," Roxas replied stiffly. "There _aren't_ many people left in Kingdom Hearts that have the strength to fight of the Darkness. But that's why I'm different. I _do_ have the strength to keep fighting, and I won't stop until there isn't a single Heartless or Nobody left in Kingdom Hearts." He gave his foe an icy glower. "And that means I won't let anybody betray Sora!"

The mysterious warrior seemed to ponder Roxas's words for a moment. Suddenly, they lowered their "staff" and addressed Roxas in a comradelier manner. "You're that willing to put yourself in harm's way for the Keyblade Master to succeed? He is very lucky to have such an ally. I hope he realizes that."

Roxas grunted. "I don't know if he does or not. Why?"

"Because I'm telling you that he has no reason to fear myself or the ones that I am united with. We are on the side of the Keybearer, a small group of warriors that are dedicated to the same worthy cause as his. The Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army wishes nothing more than to see the Hero of the Keyblade succeed in his mission and restore Kingdom Hearts to the way it's supposed to be."

"The Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army?" Roxas asked. "I've never heard of you guys."

His "enemy's" attitude towards him continued to improve. "You've no need to worry about us. We're always in the background, always watching out for him. We're his…'guardian angels,' if you'd like to think of us that way. We're always watching for any way for us to help him achieve his goal. That's why I'm kind of glad to know that I've found him."

"Why?" Roxas asked.

"To let him know that he has his work cut out for him. The Darkness is widespread throughout Kingdom Hearts. Many of the Worlds are so consumed by the Darkness that they are almost beyond saving. Many other Worlds have already fallen prey to that very grim fate, and should any more fail, then Kingdom Hearts will cease to exist."

Roxas's eyes went wide. "That's exactly what Sora's afraid of!" He completely let his guard down. "What else do you know? Please, tell me! I'll make sure that he knows!"

"That I know what?"

Both Roxas and his hooded "prisoner" looked over to see Sora coming up from across the Sandlot with Naomé and KazeRyu behind him. He was staring intently at the strange figure in front of Roxas, eyes smoldering with fury. Roxas found himself stuttering out of shock. "Sora! I-"

Sora cut him off. "I'll deal with you later." He glared at the hooded one. "Who are you?"

KazeRyu recognized the color and markings of the robes. _That one man, Xoras! The man I met in Hollow Bastion! He wore those same types of robes! This must be one of his comrades! I wonder just how many Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army guys are in Kingdom Hearts? I have never encountered them until now! Where were they hiding for the last ten years? And why did they escape my detection?_ The hooded figure bowed respectfully to Sora. "You may call me Xalinia, Master of the Keyblade. You've no need to be suspicious of me. I'm on your side."

"I'll be the judge of that," Sora growled. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for someone I know, but I can't seem to find him," Xalinia replied. "However, when I found you, I knew that my commanding officer would like to know that you are doing well."

Sora was puzzled by the last remark, but he opted not to show it. "Why would your commander be so interested in how I'm doing? I don't even know them!"

Xalinia's answer seemed almost dodgy. "In some ways you do know him, Master. You've dealt with him many times before, but you just never knew it. He's one of your strongest allies, and he has been for a very long time. In fact, he told my friends and I that he considers you a very dear friend. That's why he's so determined to help you see things through with Sealing Kingdom Hearts from the Darkness."

"A 'dear friend,' am I?" Sora snorted. "Well, we'll just see about that."

"Believe me, he does," Xalinia replied. "In fact, he just discovered something recently that I think might help you out, Master. It has to do with the Hearts of the Worlds and how to go about Sealing them."

Now Sora was truly skeptical. "I already know how to do that!" He scoffed. "Why do you think I have the Keyblade?"

"Not like this," Xalinia countered. "The Darkness has gotten so bad that the Hearts of the Worlds have relied on their last lines of defense: their Guardians and the Rings of the Hearts."

Naomé was confused. "What's that?"

"Each World has a special type of defense in case they become threatened. Within each World exists a Guardian, a special individual who has an extremely close connection with the World's Heart. Should the Heart of the World be in danger, it can summon the Guardian and provide him or her with a Ring that holds within it the Heart's powers and the Keyhole. However, you'll need to find the Guardian to Seal the World."

Sora groaned and slapped a hand over his eyes. "Great…just what I _don't_ need!"

"So, what does that have to do with you?" KazeRyu asked.

"My commander said that one of the best ways for myself and my comrades to help the Master of the Keyblade is by helping him track the Guardians of the various Worlds down so he can focus on clearing the Worlds of the Darkness. It will make things much easier for him." Xalinia turned to Sora. "You'll probably run into my friends and I occasionally, Master. We'll probably leave you clues to the Guardian's identity, or ideas of how to go about finding them. Either way, don't be surprised if you occasionally find clues left behind for you."

Sora's temperament improved slightly. "So, I'm going to get some major help for a change, am I? Well, I guess it can help out. For someone I don't know about, your commander is pretty generous towards me. There's gotta be a catch. There always is. Outside help _always_ has some type of catch attached to it."

"No catch," Xalinia said reassuringly. "All you have to do is put just a small bit of faith in us, Master, and we'll take care of the rest. Give us a chance, Master…you won't be disappointed."

The Master of the Keyblade was still extremely skeptical. He was about to respond with a hot retort when he felt Naomé's hand touch his shoulder. He looked over at her, and saw that she was staring right back at him. "What is it, Naomé?"

"Go ahead and do it, Sora," Naomé said gently. "A little faith in others isn't an unforgivable sin. It's obvious that this 'friend' of yours and their allies wish to help you accomplish your goal. Do as Xalinia says, Sora. Put some faith in her and her friends. They want to help you."

Sora scowled darkly. "The last time I put my life in the hands of others, I almost lost it. Have you forgotten, Naomé, that I've just spent the last ten years of my life stuck in an enchanted rock? Do you want to know how I got there? I got there because I trusted someone else with my life, and they let me down!"

Naomé's position didn't change. "But you shouldn't let that influence how you judge someone now. Sora, you have the chance for a group of people that probably no one except us knows about to speed up the process of saving Kingdom Hearts. They can go through the Worlds virtually undetected... the Infiltrators and Organization XIII probably don't even know they exist. What better allies to have than those who are practically invisible? Give them a chance, Sora…you could always do worse than that."

Xalinia was impressed. _This girl seems to know what she's doing…what she just said makes perfect sense. People could always do worse than to trust their fellow man for a moment. What she said is something that my father once told me…I wish I could find him…_

It appeared that Naomé's gentle advice sparked something in Sora's heart. He suddenly seemed more receptive to the fact about letting someone help him out. Although he was still wary of Xalinia, he was a little more polite to her. "Well, if you're saying you can help us, then I guess it might not be so bad. Fine. You and your friends can help me out." He was about to turn and leave when he suddenly recalled a question. He spun back around. "Xalinia, who is your commanding officer? The one that said I was a dear friend to him?"

"His name is Xoras," Xalinia replied. "He considers you with very high regards, Master of the Keyblade. When the time is right, you'll be able to keep in close contact with him. Until then, you probably won't see very much of him. Xoras tends to stay pretty well hidden. I guess it's because of his exposure to the forces of Darkness. They had a pretty bad effect on him."

Sora frowned. _Riku had some pretty bad exposure with the Darkness. It did some pretty bad things to him, too. I wonder if he knows Xoras, or if Xoras knows where he is?_

KazeRyu, too, frowned. His wolfish features were drawn with great gravity. "Xalinia, where is the Guardian to Twilight Town? The sooner we Seal the Worlds, the better."

"Unfortunately, I can't help you on that one," Xalinia replied. "It appears that Twilight Town's Guardian is missing. I was here looking for them, but I didn't see any sign of them. My friends and I won't give up, though. Sooner or later, we'll find the Guardian, and when we do, we'll let you know." She bowed again to Sora. "Farewell, Master of the Keyblade. I'm glad that I finally got to meet you. Xoras will be most pleased to find out that you are alive and well."

Sora found himself returning the bow. "Farewell, Xalinia. Tell Xoras I await seeing him."

As Xalinia walked away, Roxas came up beside his friend. "So, it looks like you're going to have a little more difficult time trying to Seal Kingdom Hearts, Sora. We don't know how many Rings are out there. We've certainly got our work cut out for us."

"Maybe," Sora replied. "But maybe Naomé is right…we do have a lot of work to do, but if I start learning to trust people again, things might not be so difficult." He looked over at Roxas. "I don't know about you, but I think we should head back to Hollow Bastion and see if we can find anything on those Rings. I want to know _exactly_ what they are."

Roxas nodded. "Good idea."

_Twilight Town - Central Station_

Sora stared hard at his reflection in the double glass doors to the train station, a feat much easier done by the cloudy skies darkening the glass and made much harder by the rain pelting off its surface. For a moment, he didn't recognize himself. He looked so much older…he knew he was, but it was still hard for him to believe that ten years had passed since he'd last seen his own face.

KazeRyu and Naomé appeared in the glass, their faces, much like Sora's was at the moment, drawn serious with determination. Their shoulders, just like his, were strengthened and straightened by purpose, and yet weighed down by immense grief and sympathy. Roxas, their friend, was suffering, and they were all powerless (at that point) to offer any remedy to stop, or at least lessen, his pain.

After a moment's pause, Sora noticed Roxas's reflection did not appear. He turned around to face the storm-ridden disaster area that was currently known as Twilight Town and frowned. "Where's Roxas? Didn't he come with you?"

"He was right behind us a moment ago," KazeRyu replied, perplexed. He looked back over his shoulder. "Naomé, where is Roxas?"

"I don't know," Naomé said. "The last I knew, he was right behind us." She turned around to see that Roxas was still behind them, but much further away than when they'd last noticed his presence. He'd just left the crossroad between Station Heights and the Marketplace, and was slowly heading up the walk towards Station Plaza.

Sora sighed. "Poor Roxas…you know, although I really didn't show it back at his house, I feel really bad for him. What he came home to is what I was, at first, afraid of seeing when I went back to the Destiny Islands. Seeing Roxas's face made me wonder if this is what's waiting for me when _I_ go home."

"Hopefully, it does not," KazeRyu said stiffly. "I am not saying that Roxas deserved this situation, but it does not surprise me that not everyone in Kingdom Hearts was devoured by the Heartless. The bodies of Roxas's parents proved that to me." He shook his head sadly. "It is a real shame, one that I hope we can prevent from happening anymore."

Naomé nodded. "I know. Seeing all of this makes me want to be the Second Keybearer even more than when I initially learned I was. I now know I have the power to change all of this back to however it was before this all began." She gave Sora an embarrassed smile when he came to stand next to her. "You know, at first, I didn't think that I could be a Keybearer."

"And now?" Sora asked.

"Now, I think I can. And, what's more is that I _want_ to be one now."

Sora good-naturedly clapped Naomé on the back. He smiled. "Glad to hear it."

Naomé chuckled as Sora smothered her in a hug from the side. But then, she became somber. "However, Sora, there is one thing I want to be more than a Keybearer right now."

"Oh? What's that?"

The Second Keybearer nodded back towards Roxas. " Roxas's friend. He looks like he needs one."

Sora, like Naomé, became solemn. "Ah. I see. You're right, Naomé. Roxas needs his friends right now. He listens to you more than he does to me, so maybe you should be the one to go talk to him. KazeRyu and I will wait here. Take as long as you need."

"Sora, what you just said is _exactly_ how a friend should act and think when thinking about the feelings of their friends," Naomé replied with a smile of approval as she walked off back towards the Master of the KeyStaff.

"What in Kingdom Hearts did what she just said mean?" Sora asked KazeRyu.

KazeRyu gave Sora a ghost of a smile and a pat on the shoulder. "It means, Master of the Keyblade, that you understand the meaning of true friendship."

Sora smiled proudly. "Then, I should take that as a compliment?"

"Indeed you should, Sora. Indeed you should."

Roxas paused at the base of the walkway before it ascended towards Station Plaza and Central Station. He whirled around and stared back through the rain at the house far at the other end of the road, at the corner of Station Heights before it headed towards the Sandlot.

_My house…my home…my family…my one true love…it's all gone…I have nothing left here, nothing to tie me to Twilight Town except my memories of my family and Naminé. Huh, memories…what good are they now? All they do now is cause me pain._ Roxas closed his eyes. _Maybe I should just forget it all…it would be easier that way…_

"Roxas?"

Snapping out of his depressed mood, Roxas looked sharply to his right. Naomé was standing next to him, her hand on his arm, her eyes trained on his face, the rain plastering her golden blonde hair against her face and neck, the wind whipping at her jacket. "Hi, Naomé."

Naomé gave Roxas's arm a brief squeeze. "Are you okay?"

"…Yeah…"

"Don't lie to me," Naomé said sternly, socking Roxas's arm. "What's on your mind? Talk to me, Roxas. I'll listen. I promise."

Roxas sighed. "…All right. I was just thinking that, with my family dead, I don't really have anything to tie me here anymore. If I wanted to, I could say that Twilight Town is no longer my home."

Naomé came around in front of Roxas. "But, why would you say that? Your family was here! The woman you loved so much that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her lived here! Roxas! Why would you want to throw all of that away?"

"Because I don't want to remember it."

"Why?"

"…Well, to tell the truth, Naomé…it just hurts, remembering. If I forget, then the pain will go away, and I won't have to feel it anymore."

Naomé scowled. "The only way for you to forget everything here and never have to feel pain again is to find a way to get yourself killed, and you can guarantee yourself that there's at least three people in this World with you right now that would do everything they could to prevent you from doing that to yourself, and one of them just so happens to be standing in front of you."

Roxas smiled sadly. "Thanks." He looked back towards his house. "Naomé,?"

"Yes?"

"Where do you think I should go from here? Like I said, the only thing tying here is my memories. Yeah, I want to avenge Naminé's murder, and that of my parents, but once that's all done, then I have nothing left here for me. Aside from those few memories, what should my next step be?"

Naomé shook her head. "I'm not the one that should answer those questions for you. Really, Roxas, the only person that can answer those questions for you is you yourself. Trust me, I know. I asked my mother something like that once, and that's what she told me. '_The only way to find the answers that we seek is for us to find them for ourselves._' That's all anyone can do, really."

"I guess you've got a point," Roxas replied with a faint smile. When he went to look at his house again, he saw something that shocked him.

"Roxas?" Naomé asked when she saw Roxas's jaw go slack in shock. "What's up? What's wrong?"

Roxas pointed back towards his house. "Naomé, look!" He said, his voice barely a whisper. "A dog!"

"A what?" Naomé asked, perplexed. "Did you say a dog?"

"Yeah!"

Naomé pivoted around in the direction that Roxas was pointing. She suddenly felt her own breath catch in shock as she saw just exactly what Roxas was talking about. _Gods…that _is_ a dog!_

Standing halfway between Roxas's house and Station Plaza was indeed a dog, approximately the size of a Labrador Retriever that was pushing the limits of the upper ranges of the specifications of its species. It had a beautiful coat that was the color of warm honey, despite being dirty and bedraggled, and Naomé could just barely make out the color of its eyes, which were a warm, soft golden brown.

When the dog caught sight of the two Humans staring at it, it stiffened ever so slightly, but then gave a gentle fan of the storm-ridden air with its magnificent tail. Its muzzle parted in the flicker of a canine smile, the expression making their eyes brighten. It gave a curious whine and shuffled about on its paws, almost as if it were deciding whether or not to go to them.

Roxas reacted first. He held his hand out, crouched down low to the ground, and gave a sharp whistle. "Here, doggy! Come here, doggy!"

Naomé laughed, then joined Roxas in his calling the dog. "Hey, puppy! Come over here, puppy dog! We're not going to hurt you! Come on over! Come on! Come here!"

"Come here, girl!" Roxas said.

"How do you know it's a girl?" Naomé asked.

"I can tell," Roxas replied. "She's too pretty to be a guy."

Naomé laughed again. "Oh, I see!"

"Shut up," Roxas chuckled. "Hey, doggy! Come here, girl! Get over here!"

The dog gave a great bark of joy, leaping from its place amidst the wreckage of a few broken crates to come scrambling up the path at full speed. It barreled into Roxas, knocking him flat on his back.

Roxas laughed as he got smothered beneath the heavy weight of wet fur and mighty muscle, all of which was wriggling with happiness at the prospect of Human company. He playfully ruffled the dog's fur, and received a slew of sloppy kisses.

"I think _she_ likes you!" Naomé said, laughing like Roxas was.

"I think you're right!" Roxas replied, barricading his face with his arms as the dog began to attack him with a shower of warm, wet kisses again. "Hey, cut that out! That's enough! Stop with all the kisses! Argh! This was one thing I could never stand about dogs! They never know when to stop licking!"

Naomé collapsed to the ground, doubled over in laughter.

"Roxas! Naomé! Hang on, guys! Sora's comin'!"

"Sora! No!" Naomé and Roxas shouted as they saw Sora come racing back in their direction, Keyblade Summoned and readied.

The dog also caught sight of Sora, and immediately began to scamper away in fear. When it got back close to Roxas's house, it turned and gave both the Master of the KeyStaff and the Second Keybearer a look that could've been possibly interpreted as its way of waving good-bye, barked in a happy tone a few times, and then vanished around the corner and headed towards Tram Commons.

Sora came to a screeching halt just as Roxas got back up onto his knees. He was about to ask if Roxas was all right when he received a withering glower from the one he was about to inquire about. "Hey! I thought you were being attacked! Geez! I try to help you, and you get mad at me for it! No fair!"

"Did it _look_ like I was being attacked?" Roxas stated bluntly. "_No!_"

Naomé felt bad for Roxas. He'd been only moments before of speaking about he wanted to just leave everything behind, banish Twilight Town from his memories forever, and then out of the blue comes a perfectly good reason for him to return again. _I wonder if he noticed that?_

"What are you thinking about over there, Naomé?" Roxas asked.

Naomé smiled. "Roxas, I think you just found something that can bring you back to Twilight Town. You have a friend waiting here for you. Yeah, they may have four legs, and a tail, and they bark and slobber, but they aren't known as man's best friend for nothing. If nothing else will bring you back here, I have a feeling that that dog will."

Roxas returned the smile. "You know what, Naomé? I think you're right. I _do_ have something to come back to…a new friend. And, you know what else? I was right. That dog _was_ a girl. I don't know if she had a name at one time or not, but I think I know the perfect name for her."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Naminé."

Sora smiled. "Naminé, eh? That sounds perfect to me."

"Who is Naminé?" Naomé asked.

"_Was_ Naminé," Sora replied. "Naminé was Roxas's fiancée ten years ago. She died, though."

"_Murdered_ is the more appropriate word," Snarled Roxas. "Xemnas killed her!"

Naomé felt bad. Roxas's one true love had been murdered? How terrible! His life was just filled with loss and suffering, wasn't it? It sounded to her like his life was just as bad, if not worse, than hers!

Sora shrugged. "Sorry." He then smiled and gave Roxas a playful shove. "Hey, you. What say you to us heading off for a bit? Think you can leave your newfound friend behind for a while? I'd take her with us, but it don't think it'd be wise."

Roxas nodded. "Yeah, you're right. And, as far as leaving goes, I guess you're right on that one, too. The sooner we head out to save Kingdom Hearts, the sooner I can get back here to be with Naminé….and the sooner I can try to pick up the pieces and move on. I think my parents would've wanted me to do that."

Naomé stared off into the distance at the spot where she'd last seen Naminé scrambling away in terror at Sora and his fearsome Keyblade. "I bet they would've, too, Roxas. So, I guess that means we haven't seen the last of Twilight Town, huh?"

"Nope. And that means we haven't seen the last of Naminé, either," Roxas replied. He grinned. "Not that I mind, of course. It's like you said, Naomé…I have a reason to come home again. She may not exactly be the one she's named after, but she's close enough for me. Naminé _was_ my friend first, after all."

"Yeah," Sora said. He suddenly shouted out into the rain. "Don't worry, Naminé! I'll take good care of Roxas! I promise! I promised you once, and I'll do it again! And, this time around, I'll _definitely_ keep it!" "Not that you didn't before," Roxas remarked. But then, he did exactly what Sora had done and called out into the weather and towards Tram Commons. "I'll be back soon, Naminé! Watch and wait for me, okay? I'll come back to you, I promise!"

Naomé watched Sora and Roxas give each other a couple hefty punches, then walk back towards Central Station, where KazeRyu was still waiting. She took a couple steps herself, then turned back around and looked into the distance. She smiled when she saw "Naminé" had returned, wagging her tail and giving her that doggy smile of hers.

"Good-bye, Naminé," Naomé said softly as she walked away. "We'll meet again."

As for "Naminé," she stood happily in the middle of the road and watched her new Human friends disappear from Twilight Town altogether. She gave a few plaintive whimpers, then a long, drawn-out howls, as though grieving over a terrible loss, Then, she disappeared back into Twilight Town and its storm-ridden streets. She would wait for her friends to return…no matter how long it was…


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The Legend of the Thirteen Rings of the Heart

_Hollow Bastion – Borough – Merlin's House_

"Sora! Back so soon?" Merlin asked as he let Sora and his friends in.

"Yeah, Merlin," Sora replied. "I came back because I have a question to ask you."

"You mean _we_, stupid," Roxas corrected, smacking Sora in the back of the head.

Sora winced. "Oh yeah. Sorry. _We've_ got a question for you."

Merlin seemed interested. "All right. Shoot."

Naomé began to explain as they went to Merlin's study. "It's something like this. While we were in Twilight Town, we met a girl named Xalinia. Now, Xalinia said that since the Darkness was so widespread, the Hearts of the Worlds had fallen back on their last lines of defense. This defense was each Heart entrusting a Guardian with a powerful Ring. Supposedly, the Ring each Guardian holds contains the Heart's powers and Keyhole. So, Sora needs to find these Guardians to complete his destiny. Our question to you, Merlin, is if you can please explain a little bit more to us about these Rings, how they work and what we need to do to find the Guardians? You know, like a certain characteristic we should be looking for?"

The wizened wizard seemed to understand perfectly. "All right. Well, I'll be perfectly honest with you: I don't know that much about these Rings, aside from that what your new friend said is true."

Sora's hopeful face fell. "Rats…"

"But, Sora, you might want to try Ansem's library in his castle. He had hundreds of books there. Maybe one of them will give you what you're looking for."

Trying to be optimistic, Sora thanked Merlin and started heading towards Ansem's Castle again. He had hoped that he wouldn't have had to go back there, but it appeared that he had no other choice.

_Hollow Bastion – Ansem's Castle – Library_

Ansem's library was crammed with tons upon tons of books. Bookcases, recessed into the walls and raised from floor to ceiling, nearly groaned from the weight of the thousands of texts they held upon them.

"Do you see anything?" Sora asked Naomé, who was perched on a ladder.

"If I see anything, I'll toss it down to you," Naomé replied distractedly. "Finding a book on something like that is going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Now shut up and let me look! The less I'm interrupted, the faster I'll go!"

Sora's jaw dropped. "Whoa…touchy."

"I heard that!"

Roxas sniggered when he saw Sora nearly jump out of his pants in shock. "_Oops._"

Sora glared at him. "Shut up!"

Naomé, meanwhile, was otherwise engaged with her search. The titles of the texts, the different styles of bindings, the multiple colors of the covers and the varying degrees of thickness of the books simply astounded her. Never in her wildest of imaginations did she ever think that there were so many books! She found herself constantly trying to pull her head out of studying the different types of books and instead searching on anything that could give them clues to what those Rings Xalinia had mentioned were. Anything at all on those Rings was extremely important!

Roxas had taken command of the second ladder in the library, a pang of regret stabbing at his heart as he mounted the rungs. _Naminé would've been such a big help right about now…she was _always_ good at doing research…I wish she was here now…_ He began skimming the titles of the texts, occasionally yanking a book out to check the contents and index for any signs of any subject having to do with rings, especially the Rings of the Heart. _There has to be something here somewhere…a man like Ansem wouldn't just let a thing like that slip through his fingers!_

Sora had taken to lounging on Ansem's sturdy oaken table like it was a bench to kick back on. He lay there, staring up at the ceiling and studying the intricate patterns of the aged tiles that lined the vaulted area. If he stared hard enough, he thought he could see strange shapes coming out of them…shapes that were oddly familiar to him…

KazeRyu was preoccupied with practicing his swordplay. He danced and twirled about the room, flashing and twirling his sword expertly. For someone of his great size, KazeRyu was extremely graceful and fluid in his motions. He virtually floated about the room, chasing intricate patterns in the air with his singing blade, stabbing and slashing at invisible enemies, dodging and twirling out of the path of visualized attacks and countering enemy blows with perfectly timed blocks that were effortless in nature. So great was his concentration that not even the sound of Sora accidentally rolling off the table and crashing to the floor broke his focus.

At one point, Naomé and Roxas looked down and back over their shoulders. They watched in silent awe as KazeRyu silently practiced his skills, the amazing, almost supernatural poise he had causing them to become enthralled with his "performance." They'd never seen anything so beautiful yet so dangerous in their lives…

After his "fall," Sora had taken to wandering aimlessly about the room, one eye watching KazeRyu's practice session, the other scanning the books. Suddenly, an old tome that was as thick as his head was wide caught his attention, and he knelt down to examine it more closely. The book was very old, its pages yellowed, dog-eared and all out of alignment. The cover was tattered and stained, and some of the areas were faded and thin from wear.

Gingerly, Sora pried the book out of its place and took it in his hands. He began flipping through the pages, taking great care as to not damage the book any further. Occasionally, he found something interesting, but it would ultimately be nothing about the Rings of the Heart, and so he would be forced once again to go back to scanning the tattered leaves. He walked back over to the table he'd been sitting on and hopped up onto it. Sitting cross-legged, he set the book in his lap and began to thoroughly study it.

_Several Hours Later_

Naomé and Roxas had searched about half of the Library combined, and had yet only found two or three books that even showed possible signs of promise. KazeRyu had finished his practicing some hours before, and had instead begun to read the candidates that Naomé and Roxas had discovered. Sora was about a little over a third of the way through the mysterious text he'd unearthed.

Leon, Yuffie, Cloud and Aerith, upon hearing from Merlin that Sora was back in town, had come to visit him in the library. When Sora explained to them what was going on, they offered to help speed up the searching process, and were now digging through the remaining bookcases with Naomé and Roxas.

"This is nuts," Leon grumbled as he slammed another book back into the bookcase. "Trying to find a book like that is next to impossible in here! Aerith said that she believed there were at least two-and-half thousand books in here!"

"Well, it certainly looks like more than that," Naomé remarked dryly as she carefully returned the book she'd held in her hand to the shelf she'd pulled it off of. "Yuffie, could you move me to the next bookcase, please? I didn't find anything promising here."

Yuffie took a hold of the ladder and slid it along the tracks to the next set of shelves. "This is getting ridiculous," She groaned. "It's almost nine at night, and we're _still_ searching for a dumb book that can give us something solid on those Rings! Leon's right…this _is_ nuts!"

"You just have to look in the right place," Aerith replied philosophically. "Hmm…Roxas, do you think that this book could have something in it?"

"Let me see, Aerith," Roxas said, taking the book from her. He popped the cover open, snatched at the pages, and flipped them so that he was looking at the index. He scurried through the pages to the index, whereupon he began scanning the list of entries. "Hmmm… '_Guardians and Their Roles_'…that sounds like it might have a clue in it.'_Properties of the Heart of a World_'…that's a definite possibility. What's this one? '_Rings in Kingdom Hearts_'…that _definitely_ sounds promising. Hey…there're _tons_ of entries underneath it. I wonder if there's something under there? Let's see here…'_Rings, Elementals'_…no…'_Rings, Properties of Metamagic Creation'_…don't think so…hold the phone! '_Rings, Thirteen of the Heart_'! Hey, Sora! I think Aerith found something!"

Yuffie's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"

Aerith smiled. "See, Yuffie? It's like I said: _you just have to look in the right place._"

Leon grunted. "Show-off."

"What did Aerith find, Roxas?" Naomé asked, hopping down off the ladder.

Roxas smirked as he tossed the book. "Here, catch!"

"You idiot!" Naomé barked, making a tremendous dive and snagging the aged book just before it hit the ground. She lay there for a few minutes, her body screaming at her from the various rug burns she'd received on any skin that wasn't protected by clothing from her skidding along the floor.

KazeRyu was instantly concerned. "Are you all right, Naomé?"

Naomé gritted her teeth against the pain. "Aside from the fact that I want to _kill_ someone in particular right about now, I'm fine."

Roxas winced. "I think I'm gonna stay up here for a little bit," He remarked.

"I would too, if I were you," Sora replied. "I wouldn't come down until I was sure Naomé was a _really_ good distance away from me. Preferably outside of Ansem's Castle."

"You always want to make a speedy getaway, Sora," Naomé hissed.

"Well, if I faced something like Roxas is right now, don't you think I'd want to get out of here as fast as I could without whoever it was I ticked off being able to get me before I took three steps in my defense?" Sora asked her.

"Gods, I would," Leon said. "Especially if it was one or both of the women here."

Yuffie and Aerith rounded on the master of the Gunblade. "_Shut up, Leon!_"

Leon flinched. _Curses…! How'd they know I was talking about them?_

Naomé slowly brought herself into a sitting position. She opened the book up to the index, discovered the entries Roxas had said were possibilities, and then began turning to each of those entries one by one and reading them. When she came to the one about the Thirteen Rings of the Heart, she found herself laughing aloud. "Roxas, you're right! Aerith _did_ find something!"

"What does it say?" Sora asked.

"Listen!" Naomé replied. She began to read the passage aloud.

"_Kingdom Hearts is comprised of thirteen Worlds, each containing one-thirteenth of Kingdom Hearts's true power. When the paths of these Worlds are properly connected, the power of each world grows off of the other twelve, creating a single Heart of light and infinite strength. This causes Kingdom Hearts to become a single, living universe, beating with thirteen Hearts synchronized as one._

"_However, despite the infinite power of Kingdom Hearts, the paths are not invulnerable to corruption. When Darkness infests one world, the other twelve are easily susceptible to the same contamination. As it spreads, the Darkness erodes at the connections between the Worlds, destroying Kingdom Hearts and its ever-renewing life source little by little. Eventually, should enough damage be done, Kingdom Hearts will cease to exist, each World plunged into never-ending Darkness and decay that can only be reversed by the legendary Hero of the Keyblade 'Sealing off' each World and slowly rebuilding the paths until Kingdom Hearts can be fully restored._

"_But, Kingdom Hearts has an alternate mode of defense besides the legendary Keybearer and their mythical Keyblade. Each part of Kingdom Hearts's 'Heart' has in its possession a 'Guardian,' a citizen of each World that is especially attuned to the needs of their home World's 'Heart' and able to carry out and communicate its wishes. Every Guardian has the ability to 'speak' with the Heart they are guarding, and can enter the Heart's true location at any time they wish._

"_During the times a World's Heart feels threatened, the Heart can summon their Guardian and formulate their power into a 'Ring' the Guardian can keep close to their heart at all times. Each 'Ring of the Heart' holds within it all of the Heart's powers, along with the 'Keyhole' the Keybearer's Keyblade activates and Seals to protect the World from further danger. When the Keybearer takes possession of all 'Thirteen Rings of the Heart,' they can gain direct access to the main power source, Kingdom Hearts itself, and completely purge it of the encroaching Darkness. However, all thirteen Rings _must_ be obtained _before_ Kingdom Hearts can be permanently Sealed._"

Sora was impressed. "Whoa…good find, Aerith!"

Aerith blushed. "C'mon, guys! Stop! It's getting embarrassing!"

Roxas ignored her. "It sounds to me like these Rings are very powerful. I'm willing to bet that the people we have to find are pretty powerful, too."

"I don't know," Naomé replied. "Let's see if that entry about the Guardians helps us any." She turned to that section and read that one, as well.

"_Each World of Kingdom Hearts has multiple lines of defense. The one that is usually considered as the last resort is for the World's Heart to call upon its "Guardian," a special person that lives within the World they are connected to. This Guardian can be used as a spokesperson for the Heart and its desires, as well as the bearer of the World's Ring of the Heart (see _'Thirteen Rings of the Heart'_ for more details) should the Heart of the World feel that its power is in danger of being compromised._

"_The qualifications to become a Guardian are virtually nonexistent. The Guardian can be just about anything; even a small child can become a World's Guardian and protector of its Heart. The main way to be able to distinguish a Guardian from its fellow citizens is extremely difficult, but the best clue is to see if someone, somehow, seems to have a special 'connection' with their World. Someone who seems especially attuned to the world around him or her may be a primary candidate for consideration of being a Guardian. Other signs may include someone with an especially keen interest in people who come from other Worlds to visit their own, a person with an affluent level of power, or perhaps even a strong desire to defend 'their people' from danger. Any one or a combination of these signs may or may not be apparent, but it is otherwise a general rule of thumb to remember that every Guardian has his or her World's best interests in mind. Also, the title of 'Guardian' can be passed down through a family line, so it is possible to come across a fifth-generation Guardian._" "Cool," Sora said. "What else does it say?"

Naomé continued. "_Guardians tend to have a warrior's spirit when it comes to the protection of their World. To everyone around him or her, they appear to be just like they are everyday. But when someone enters his or her World with the intent of damaging it or corrupting it in any way, shape or form, the Guardian becomes a powerful force to reckon with. It is believed that a World's Heart holds within it it's own 'fighting spirit,' and that it can pass this on to its Guardian at any time, thus granting them the power to become a true Champion in his or her own right. When and if this happens to a Guardian, be well aware of the fact that they will not stop acting in this manner until the threat of their World is totally eliminated. This becomes especially valid when (and if) they locate and confront the potential villain or villains that wish to damage their World._

"_When the Guardian discovers someone that has the best interests of their World in mind (such as the Keybearer), they will willingly join forces with this person or people, remaining close by at almost all times until their shared goal is accomplished and their World is saved. Afterwards, should the Guardian be in possession of their World's Ring of the Heart, and the one they joined up with so happens to be the Keybearer, they will willingly surrender their World's Ring, thus allowing the Keybearer to activate the World's Keyhole and Seal the World from danger_

"_Conclusively, it matters not whether the Guardian joins up with the Keybearer, a friend from their World or a different one, or even if they remain alone, their still ongoing mission is their World's safety and the defense of the Heart. No matter what it takes or how long it takes, a Guardian will always be their World's strongest defender._"

Cloud appeared to be somewhat intrigued by the information. "Huh. That's interesting. Never knew about that kind of stuff, and we've been here for a long time."

Leon nodded. "Yeah, well, I guess this wasn't important until now. You know, the invasion of the Heartless and Nobodies wasn't as bad eleven years ago as it is now, so the Hearts of the Worlds didn't feel that desperate. But now, with everything going so screwy, they must feel pretty threatened. So, now Sora has to work a little harder to achieve his goals, but in the end it will make everything a lot more worth it."

"Yeah, like my being able to finally go home?" Sora snorted. "You know, like I was supposed to _eleven years ago?_"

Naomé chuckled. "No wonder you don't trust anybody, Sora. You're raw from being stuck here!"

Roxas felt really bad for Sora. _He's spent the last eleven years of his life stuck in Kingdom Hearts! And I thought it was bad being "stuck" in Twilight Town for all those years! Sora must be _really_ homesick right about now! Poor guy…he must miss being home so much…_

"Can you blame me?" Sora asked. "I mean, every time I 'freed' Kingdom Hearts, everybody else could 'go home' except for me! I was always stuck here by some! First, I was put under an enchanted sleep for a year, and then I get stuck in _another_ parlor trick and trapped in a rock for _ten_ years! Sorry, but a rock is hardly a home, and sleeping is hardly a profession! It's bad enough that I'm the Keybearer!"

Leon smirked. "I thought you liked your job."

Sora scowled. "Only s_ometimes._"

KazeRyu turned away to hide a grin. _Now he knows how _I_ feel about being the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts. Fun, is it not, Sora? The only difference between you and I is that I have been doing it for over two thousand years, while you have only done it for a little over a decade. You still have a _long_ way to go before you can even _begin_ to comprehend just how frustrated I get sometimes…_

But something about the entries wasn't kosher with Roxas Avalon. "Naomé, the book said that there are _thirteen_ Rings of the Heart, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, does it mention anything about what those Worlds are?"

Naomé was shocked by Roxas's sudden spark of intuition. _I didn't think of that one! Good job, Roxas!_ "I don't know. I didn't see anything in there. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Roxas explained. "Kingdom Hearts has many Worlds within it, so how are we going to know which thirteen have the Rings that we need to Seal Kingdom Hearts for good? I mean, there's _got_ to be something in there about what Worlds have the Rings, right?"

It was Sora's turn to be intrigued. "That's true. _Is_ there anything, Naomé?"

"Let me check," Naomé replied, flipping through the pages. She frowned. "Nope."

"Rats!" Sora growled, pounding his fist into the table. "So much for _that_ idea!"

"Calm down," KazeRyu commanded gruffly. "Naomé, may I see the book?"

Naomé was confused. "I guess so, although you're probably not going to find anything that we haven't already found. I checked all the entries we figured would help us, and there wasn't anything in there about the Worlds and which ones had Rings to their Hearts."

KazeRyu gently took the dusty old tome in his taloned hands. "Once, a long time ago, I read something in a book very similar to this one about the Thirteen Rings of the Heart and their Worlds. Maybe there iss something in here that we have missed…" He fell silent as he slowly flipped through the pages, pale eyes taking in every paragraph. Suddenly, he spoke. "Ah! Here we are! Listen to this! '_Each World that has a Ring to the Heart bears within it a special power: the ability to link to another World that has its own Ring of the Heart. Thus, when one World is Sealed, the Ring connects the paths of the two previously separated Worlds together, creating a 'bridge' that the Keybearer can then cross and continue on their journey to saving Kingdom Hearts. Thus, when all thirteen Worlds are connected and Kingdom Hearts is Sealed, any and all other paths that were previously severed will reconnect, opening all the gateways to all the Worlds in Kingdom Hearts, not just those that had Rings. It is in this manner that the Keybearer or other Guardians charged with the task of the defense of Kingdom Hearts can virtually Seal all the Worlds simultaneously._"

Sora growled. "Why didn't that happen the _first time?_ I could've been home!"

"Sucks to be you," Naomé remarked.

"I'll say! It took eleven years for me to have a chance to Seal all the Worlds of Kingdom Hearts all at once, and I only have to travel to _thirteen_ of them to pull it off! If I'd had _that_ kind of good luck eleven years back, I wouldn't be in this mess! _None_ of us would've had to deal with this for the last eleven years of our lives! Why does it take so long for the good things to come up?"

Naomé smiled. "Because the good things usually end up being the most difficult."

Sora blew air through his nose in a derisive snort. "How is it more difficult for someone to travel to thirteen Worlds and Seal them in order to Seal every single one in existence than it is to travel to every World one by one and Seal them all individually? That doesn't make sense, Naomé!"

"Yeah it does," Roxas corrected him.

"_How?_" Sora barked at him.

Roxas shrugged. "Easy. Because to be able to Seal those thirteen Worlds in order to Seal all of them at once, those Worlds have to be especially powerful. And everyone knows that the Heartless and Nobodies attacked the most powerful ones first. It made conquering the weaker ones ten times easier."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, that means that they're going to be the worst ones out of all of them. You'll have to bust your butt ten times harder than normal to Seal them, because there's going to be so many more Heartless and Nobodies, not to mention that they're going to be controlled by even stronger foes! To Seal those Worlds, you're going to have to do a _lot_ more work to make that happen!"

Sora didn't like the sound of that. "That means…?"

Cloud smirked. "You're screwed, Sora."

"_No!_" Sora yowled, noisily clonking his head down on the table.

Leon scowled in disapproval. "Cloud, you're _not_ helping any."

Cloud spread his arms wide, as though stating the obvious. "Of course I'm helping! Leon, Sora just asked what all that stuff that Roxas said meant, and I told him exactly what he wanted! And you call that _not helping any?_ Get a clue, Leon! Better yet, get a _life!_"

Yuffie threw herself in Leon's path as he prepared to charge Cloud down. "Leon, don't do it! There's plants in here!"

"Then give me one of them," Leon growled ferociously. "I'm going to plant it in that thick skull of his and hope it takes root and eventually grows him a brain."

Cloud seemed both shocked and angry. "So, you think you're gonna try and become _both_ a botanist _and_ a brain surgeon by planting an overgrown houseplant in my skull and seeing if it grows a brain for me, eh? Sorry, Leon, brain surgeons don't make good botanists, and vice versa. Besides, I already _have_ a brain, so I don't need another one to worry about."

"Oh, you misunderstand me, Cloud," Leon replied. "I need the plant because I'm going to remove the brain that's in your head and plant this one in there instead."

"That still doesn't qualify you to be a brain surgeon and a botanist."

Naomé and Roxas burst out laughing at the same time.

"That's _not _funny!" Sora growled at them, but with little effect.

KazeRyu rolled his eyes. "_Aldara_, _Bavra mydria._" _Mortals. How confusing._

Naomé had a feeling that KazeRyu had just said something about her and her friends. _There he goes with those weird words again! I still don't know what that strange language he keeps talking in is, but I'm bound and determined to find out and learn it! I'm not letting him catch me off guard with anything!_

Aerith, also, was puzzled by KazeRyu's strange language. However, like Naomé, she found KazeRyu's mysterious tongue rather interesting to hear. She also wondered about where she could learn to speak it. _Maybe I can convince him to tell me a few words. It would be nice to pop them on Cloud or Leon when they get out of hand…kind of like _now…!

Suddenly, Sora stole the attention away from Cloud and Leon as he hastily snagged the book out of KazeRyu's hands.

KazeRyu was amazed. "Sora! What are you…?"

"I just thought of something!" Sora said, tearing through the book. "How am I supposed to find the first World so I can get started?"

Naomé placed her hand on the pages that were face up. "Xalinia told us that already. Twilight Town is the first World."

"Yeah, but she couldn't find the Guardian!" Sora replied. "Remember? And if we can't find the Guardian, then that means we can't use the Ring to open the next path!"

"He's got a point, Naomé," Roxas said. "No Ring, no path."

"You don't know that," Naomé replied. "Maybe another World is waiting for us. You know, perhaps one is going to become the alternate starting point since Twilight Town cannot. We don't have any idea how all of the Worlds work together. Like I said: maybe one opened up so we can start from there. Starting in any one of the Worlds is better than not starting the journey at all." She pointed to the book. "The texts have already given us many of the clues of how the _Rings_ work, but those Rings won't be able to tell us anything about how the Worlds _themselves_ work. Remember, all of the Worlds are connected to the main Heart of Kingdom Hearts. Surely they can use that as a gateway to communicate?"

"Worlds don't _talk!_" Leon said, looking at Naomé like she'd grown another head. "They don't have mouths! How can they communicate?"

"Maybe they cannot communicate in _our_ language, but in a language that only _they_ can understand," Naomé explained, taking the book from Sora and setting it down on the table. "You know what 'empathy' is, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, if all the Worlds are 'connected' as one Heart, then maybe they can 'communicate' with one another by sensing the Hearts of the other Worlds around them. If the Worlds that had their Hearts in Rings 'understood' that we couldn't find Twilight Town's Guardian and Ring, then maybe another one opted to become the alternate starting point for us. That way, at least we'd get one of the Rings to start, even if it wasn't Twilight Town's."

Roxas smiled, realization dawning on him. "I get it! Since we can't Seal Twilight Town, then maybe Kingdom Hearts opened up a _different_ path! That way, we can still save it! You'll still be able to complete your destiny, Sora!"

"Exactly," Naomé replied with her own smile. "Well done, Roxas!"

Straightening up on the rung he was sitting on, Roxas laughed proudly as he recited an old tongue twister that he and his old friends from back home in Twilight Town used to say when they did something that was rather intelligent. "I am the very model of a modern major general!"

"Careful, _major general_, that you do not fall," KazeRyu cautioned him. "_That_ would not be too intelligent on your part."

Roxas's face fell. "_KazeRyu!_"

Sora sniggered. "Now _that_ was funny."

Naomé smacked Sora's shoulder with enough force to make him reel. "That was _not funny!_" She growled. "Roxas could get seriously hurt if that actually happened! Something that's as serious as that isn't funny, Sora!"

A spark of shock caught Roxas off guard with such a jolt that he nearly _did_ fall off the ladder. _Naomé? Sticking up for me? Whoa! Where'd _that_ come from all of a sudden? I don't think she's ever done _that_ before! I wonder what made her do that?_

KazeRyu noticed that there was a deep level of uneasiness in Naomé's stone-gray eyes. He could instinctively feel that she was mentally cursing herself for some reason unknown to him. _She just embarrassed herself, I think. She was probably trying to stick up for Roxas, but she might've let a little too much emotion get behind it. Something tells me that there is more to Naomé's friendship with Roxas than meet the eye. I have my suspicions, but I think it is a little too premature to take an educated guess. Who knows? Maybe she is just doing it because she feels bad for him and what he had to deal with when he found out about his parents. Maybe that was sympathy that came out…maybe…_

Sora sensed the tension that'd suddenly arisen from up out of nowhere. He knew that it had to do with his making the remark about how it would've been funny if Roxas fell off the ladder, but somehow there seemed to be something more to it than that. Naomé _had_ reacted rather sharply, and Roxas _had_ been affected by KazeRyu's rather simple remark. Was there something going on that he didn't know about?

Roxas slid down off of the ladder. "Well, all of this may have been fun, but I think it's time we should go. After all, destiny waits for no one, you know!" _I probably looked like a dolt in front of Naomé. I think I embarrassed her too…Roxas, you idiot!_

"I agree," Naomé replied, her voice taught with awkwardness. "Roxas is right, guys. Kingdom Hearts has already been suffering long enough." She tried hiding her self-consciousness with an off-kilter smile. "Let's get this done the right way and as fast as possible." _I hope Roxas didn't think I was hitting on him or something…that wasn't what I intended back there…blasphemies! Naomé, you fool!_

When Sora was about to call both of them on what'd just happened, he felt KazeRyu's powerful hand clasp his shoulder to hold him back. He looked back over the same shoulder and saw his wolfish friend shake his head in silent negation. As hard as it was, Sora bit his tongue and choked back the buzz of questions that were spinning through his head. Instead, he said good-bye to his friends from Hollow Bastion and left, unsure of where his "first World" would be.


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A Provincial Town

_Beast's Castle – Country Road_

The cart hit a bump in the road, harshly jostling the resting adventurers as they rode down a bumpy country road that wound through acres of golden grasses. Above them, an autumn sky glowed fiery bright, setting the whole world alight with its warming glow. To the east, the sky was turning shades of twilight blues, violets and purples, and stars began to peek out from behind their once flaming curtain.

Roxas was stretched out in a pile of straw, chewing a strand he'd discovered to keep his mind busy. He stared bitterly up at the sky from beneath his hair, cursing his horrible fate. His parents were dead, his love was dead, his homeland was destroyed, and there was nothing he could do about it…for now, anyway…

"Hey, over there," Sora prodded, tossing a fistful of the dried reeds at his friend. When Roxas gave him an irritated glower due to his unwittingly disrupting his friend's meditations, Sora flashed him an infectious smile. "Staring at the stars isn't going to free Kingdom Hearts. Cheer up, Roxas! We're almost to the next village!"

"I don't have any reason to be cheerful right now," Roxas replied in a deep monotone. He did not make eye contact with anybody, and he hadn't for the last several hours. "Leave me alone…"

Naomé had just about had enough of Roxas's moping about. Setting her jaw firmly, she fought to gain her feet in the cart, only to have it hit another bump and send her sprawling comically forward, her intended attack becoming an acrobatic tumble that was a half flying tackle, half wipeout that pushed both her and Roxas back into the straw. Young man and woman ended up slamming painfully into the hardwood back of the driver's seat, Roxas striking his shoulders and Naomé banging her head.

KazeRyu winced. "Ouch."

Sora flinched as he heard the _thunk!_ "Ooh…that looked like it hurt."

Buried in the straw pile, Roxas found himself staring into Naomé's face as she managed to pull away from having her body pinned on top of his. For some reason, he was halfway tempted to knock her silly, while at the same time discovering that he wanted to hold her close and never let go. There was something strange about Naomé Meilin Windom, and it was getting to him.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently as Naomé cracked her neck back into alignment.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Naomé gritted, wincing as she felt the lump on her head begin to form. "_Urrr_…_that's_ gonna hurt for quite a while! Are you all right, Roxas?"

The young man shrugged. "About as good as I've ever been, I guess."

The farmer who had so generously given the travelers a ride called back to them over his shoulder. "The next village is coming up in about another hour or so. Best be prepared to get off when I say so. And mind you stick together. I hear this town doesn't like strangers very much."

"Great," Sora grumbled. "Just what we _don't_ need."

KazeRyu tersely nodded his agreement.

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Village Square_

The town was indeed a provincial community, focused heavily on farming and self-created industry. Everything here was either handed down from generation to generation, or through years of toil and apprenticeship. There wasn't one person here that hadn't learned a skill from another.

Sora felt ridiculous as he stepped off the cart, realizing that his modern garb clashed outrageously with the simple homespun fabrics of the townsfolk. More did he feel like a "village idiot" when he noticed the odd stares he and his friends were receiving from many of the villagers. He put on his best smile and tried to be courteous, but it was extremely difficult to get anyone to reply.

KazeRyu knew that he was in for it. He had not the ability to hide his wolfish features, except for pull the hood of his jacket up over his head, which still wouldn't completely hide his muzzle. He resigned himself to the fact that he was just going to have to stick out like a sore thumb. True, that meant he risked making a fool out of himself and getting his friends in danger, but that was a chance he was forced to take.

Roxas was about to head over towards the fountain in the middle of the square when he suddenly flinched in pain. A smooth, round pebble, probably a small stone that'd come loose from the cobblestones that paved the roads, had come flying from way out in right field, striking him squarely in the back like a strike from Sora's Keyblade. The young man arched his back instinctively as the pain radiated up and down his spine and into his skull, making his ears ring. The stone had struck a nerve dead on target.

"Roxas!" Naomé said, startled by her friend's face twisting in agony. "What's wrong?"

"Stupid kids…" Roxas hissed. "I got hit with a rock."

Naomé didn't waste a moment. She knew what it'd been like to be struck by stones. She used to have stones thrown at her when she was back home on the Key Islands. Snatching up the whitish stone that'd struck Roxas, she pocketed it, and kept her eyes peeled for the brat (or brats) responsible. All she'd seen was a light brown colonial-style ponytail and pair of black knickers running round the back of the blacksmith's shop. _That_ was going to be a tricky one to pin.

Another group of miscreants, lead by a young boy wielding a stick as long as his arm and about half as thick, dashed past, each kid intentionally tangling the four weary travelers up into a tight-knit circle and pressing them against the cart. Sora tried his best to swat at the kids, but was not fast enough. The little punks would dodge him and poke him with their sticks. He suddenly had a strong urge to take his Keyblade to them.

Suddenly, one of the kids managed to throw a rock and hit the farmer's horse square on the flanks, making the animal rear up and kick at the air with a shrill whinny of pain. The beast began to take off, only to have KazeRyu react with his lightning-quick reflexes and snatch the reins. He yanked back on them as hard as he could, struggling to get the horse under control.

A young girl ran beneath the horse as it reared, spooking the already frightened thing and sending it pell-mell into the square, cart and all and free of KazeRyu's grasp. Naomé and Roxas both caught a hold of the back of the cart and fought to climb inside of it and get to the driver's seat. Straw went flying everywhere as the two young adults battled against the frightened animal, Naomé finally gaining the upper hand and throwing herself over the driver's seat and firmly grabbing the leather reins in one hand. Now able to gain some ground, she pulled back on them with all her strength, willing the horse to obey her.

Roxas took a leap of faith over Naomé and landed on the horse's back, twisting the creature's mane around his fingers and pulling with her. He grunted as he felt the horse buck him around like a bronco, threatening to dismount him. Grimly, he hung on for dear life, struggling to stay mounted while battling the horse's instinct to run. Finally, he managed to dig his knees into the creature's sides and bear down while pulling back on the horse's mane, combining his power with Naomé's improvised skills and finally bringing the horse and cart to a halt.

Sora and KazeRyu came running up from further down the block, the celestial werewolf immediately taking the reins from Naomé and keeping a tight grip on them. The Keybearer, meanwhile, had lunged up into the cart and began berating his comrades for their "showing off."

"Do you realize that the two of you could have been killed?" Sora roared, stamping his foot angrily on the cart as Roxas slid off the horse's back and clambered back into the cart to help Naomé recover from being hung out to dry on the driver's seat. "What were you thinking, Avalon?"

"I was thinking about how many people could've gotten hurt if I hadn't moved when I did!" Roxas shot back as he hefted Naomé into the straw. When he was certain she was all right, he rounded to face Sora. "Look, Sora! Naomé and I both know we're gonna be feeling that in the morning, but at least dozens of people were spared being injured or killed! I'd feel more comfortable if my dying saved people, not the other way around!"

KazeRyu and Naomé were both shocked to hear Roxas sound so angry. They stared at him wide-eyed and jaws agape as he and Sora fought to be right. However, they didn't realize that the argument, coupled with their heroic actions, had caught the town's attention.

By now, villagers had gathered from within hearing range to see what was going on. Those who had witnessed the accident spoke of the strangers' bravery, of their quick thinking and concern for their fellow man. Murmurs of respect shot up and down through the crowd. Townspeople nodded their approval as a middle-aged man that stood almost head and shoulders above most of them began pushing his way through the crowd, though his going was easy, for they had parted aside for him to pass.

Out of the corner of his eye, KazeRyu sized the man up. Heavily built and covered from head to foot in bulging muscle, he couldn't help but think about some of the demons he'd faced that'd been as big and burly as this mortal was. He allowed his eyes to wander over the man, detailing his slick black hair that'd been pulled back into a ponytail, his close-fitting red jerkin, black pants and polished boots. A shiny black leather baldric ran across his chest from right shoulder to left hip, holding a quiver of arrows and a heavy bow against his fleshy form. His eyes, piercingly dark, had a sly gleam within them, and a hint of arrogance showed in his every feature, right down to his swaggering gait, his boots clumping heavily on the cobblestones.

Naomé was stunned. The man that was approaching them was about as tall as KazeRyu, and he was at least head and shoulders over Sora and built up even more than Roxas! This man was _huge!_

At last, the man came to a halt before the cart. Yellow-gloved hands resting on his narrow waist, he surveyed the horse and cart with a malignant eye. "So, you are the ones the whole town's talking about, are you? Tell me something: how did three little kids and a man in a wolf costume stop that horse?"

_Kids?_ KazeRyu thought haughtily. _This guy does not know what he is messing around with! And what is the big idea of calling me a man in a wolf costume? Oh, if he says one more thing, he is going to find out just how "real" this "costume" really is!_

Sora had a weird feeling about the gentleman in front of him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Belle, a young girl who had supposedly come from this town, tell him about a man she despised: the hunter, Gaston. _Gaston was the biggest fool out of everyone in that horrid little village. He was the rudest, most arrogant, most conceited man I have ever met! He was a drunkard, a liar, a braggart and a cheat, and he had the worst ego of anyone in the world! I hate him more than anything, that Gaston!_

Roxas was still irritated. "It goes to show you what happens when three little kids and a man in a wolf costume decide to work together. We may be _little_ kids, but we're not afraid to try."

This response, gruff as it was, had its desired effect. The man seemed to take on a change of attitude, albeit a slight improvement. He took a hold of the reins from KazeRyu and brought the shell-shocked beast to the middle of the square, where he tied the leather "steering wheel" against a post. "There. That ought to hold you for a little while, at least." He looked back at the "newcomers," the sly look in his eyes faded somewhat. "Tell you what. There's a tavern just up the road. Why don't you come and hang out for a bit? I'll show you my favorite hunting trophies, too. What do you say?"

At first, Sora was doubtful. _I dunno about this…this guy's a total stranger to us…and if he _is_ Gaston, then we'd better be on our guard…anything about Belle and her staying with the Beast in his castle might set him off…_ But then, when he noticed the fact that many of the townspeople were waiting for their answer, he found himself hard-pressed to agree. _Maybe things won't be so bad…just don't mention anything about Belle, and everything will run smoothly._

The Master of the Keyblade was about to reply, when Naomé suddenly cut him off with a quick whisper of "leave this to me." He watched as Naomé became spokesperson for the group and discovered that he'd almost immediately become impressed with her (obviously) major attempt at being courteous. _Naomé's not exactly the Queen of Subtlety…let's see what she can do…_

Naomé gave the man her best polite smile. "I take it you are extending an invitation to us, sir?"

Surprisingly, the man seemed to return the courtesy. "Indeed. Oh, and you don't have to call me 'sir.' The name is Gaston. Everyone here knows me by name, so you might as well, too."

_Gaston!_ Sora thought, the name exploding in his brain. _Oh, crap! Now we _definitely_ have to be on our toes! I'd better explain to Naomé about keeping her mouth shut about us knowing Belle! Roxas and I have been telling her about her, so now we have to warn her to be careful! This could be bad!_

The Second Keybearer seemed to detect Sora's uneasiness with an almost supernatural instinct that was uncanny in appearance. "Thank you, Gaston. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please lead us to this tavern that you're speaking of. My friends and I were actually on planning to stay here for a while, but we didn't know where to go. From what it sounds like, you apparently know somewhere we can. Let us see what you know."

Roxas smiled as they started off. He gently nudged Naomé in the ribs. "Good job, Naomé. I'm proud of you."

Naomé beamed.

"Me, too," Sora chimed in. But then he laid a hand on Naomé's shoulder. "Be careful, Naomé. That girl I told you about, Belle…she knew this guy."

"Oh, did she? Well then, is this supposed to be your way of telling to me to keep my mouth shut on the subject, so that I don't say anything and accidentally stir up trouble?"

Sora gaped at her. "Good guess." Roxas nodded. "I think that goes for _all_ of us. And Sora, I don't think we should mention anything about our mission to save Kingdom Hearts. You never know who's working for the Darkness."

"Good thinking, Roxas," Sora remarked. "Good thinking, indeed."

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Tavern_

The Tavern was right in the middle of town, a large structure that stood out amongst the nearby shops like a sore thumb. Grand and impressive, it looked almost as beautiful outside as it was on the inside.

Sora found himself feeling very tiny as he entered the tavern, which had high, vaulted ceilings supported by heavy beams. Lit by lantern-like sconces strewn about the place and a big fireplace on the back wall of the main hall, one could easily feel like they were in the main hall to some great castle.

KazeRyu's keen eyes eyed the wall that the fireplace was attached to, noting the almost literally hundreds of hunting trophies that hung on there. _This man is an accomplished hunter…his skills are impressive for a mortal…I would like to see him in action sometime…_ He did, however, frown ever so slightly when he saw that the skin of a wolf, head and all, was used to cover the back of the chair made of antlers and deer and elk hides that resided by the fire. _I always hate those who hunt wolves…it is probably because I am technically one myself…_

Gaston plopped himself down in that very same chair and kicked his feet out on the bearskin rug that was laid out before him. He motioned to a nearby table. "Go ahead. Make yourselves at home, just like me. The people here will take good care of you."

His courtesy, however, was interrupted when a portly, elderly gentleman came bursting into the tavern, white hair in a slightly wild appearance. "Gaston! There you are! Any sign of Belle and that castle that she was locked up in? I'm still afraid for her life! That beast will never let her go, I tell you! You've _got_ to find her!"

_Belle? This guy knows Belle?_ Roxas thought, nearly spluttering on the cider he was sipping on. _And he knows Beast, too! How is that possible?_ He leaned in close to Sora's ear. "Sora! Did you-"

"Yep," Sora replied. "I heard him. The guy knows Belle, but I can't see how he does. She never mentioned knowing an old geezer like this guy before."

"Have some respect for your elders," KazeRyu chided the Master of the Keyblade. "Every gray hair an elder has is for every season they survive past their prime years. This hair of this man is entirely white…he has lived a long, honorable life."

Gaston appeared to have his courteous attitude become a false pretense. His smile widened slightly. "Don't you worry, Maurice. We are still searching for her. I told you that I would never give up on her. This castle seems to have almost vanished into thin air, but it won't disappear from me! I won't give up until she's safe and back home! And when she is, I promise that I will never let her get lost again!"

_Hmmm…"I promise I will never let her get lost again?" That sounds kind of…well, I don't know…a bit on the possessive side?_ Naomé thought pensively._ Wait a minute…someone that was _married_ would make an oath like that…! Could Belle have been…_married_ to this Gaston guy? Could she have gone to Beast's castle to run away from him?_

"Maurice" seemed to suddenly overflow with happiness. "You will? Gaston, thank you! Thank you so much! I _knew_ I could trust my daughter's life in your hands! I swear I will never forget this!" Appeased, Maurice left the tavern.

_Daughter?_ Sora nearly gagged on the last bite of his food. _That guy…was Belle's _father?_ Oh, damn it! We've _got_ to talk to him! He has to know that Belle's all right!_ He turned to Gaston. "Gaston! That man, Maurice…where does he live?"

Gaston shrugged. "In a ramshackle little farmhouse at the edge of town. Why?"

Naomé quickly thought up a lie. "We came here looking for him. We're extremely close friends of a relative of his, and they wanted us to deliver a message to him. It's extremely important that we know where he lives so we can get that message to him as quickly as possible."

The native huntsman appeared to be concerned. "Hmmm…could that relative know something about what happened to Belle?"

"We're not a liberty to say. We just need to know where Maurice lives, please."

"Go out the door, hang a left, and follow the path you took from the village square. Go right from there and follow it straight until it becomes a dirt road. Up on top of a hill is an old farmhouse with a big Clydesdale grazing nearby. You can't miss it."

Roxas nodded. "Thanks."

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

Gaston's directions were (as one could expect from such a sharp-eyed hunter) perfect to the step. It was in a matter of a half an hour that the four friends arrived at the foot of a hill that held the home of Maurice, Belle's father. There was, however, one small problem…the horse. Being of the Clydesdale variety, the big equine had to be approached very cautiously. The smell of KazeRyu's "wild" heritage could've been enough to send the horse into a stampeding frenzy.

Naomé and Roxas had opted to distract the horse while Sora and Kaze slipped past. The trick wasn't going to be an easy one, as they would have to distract the horse and keep it from using its senses for a little bit. Naomé, however, had the perfect idea: a couple of carrots she'd managed to snag from a hanging basket of vegetables that'd been near the table they'd been sitting at back in the tavern. She'd stuffed them into her jacket to keep them hidden, as she'd formulated the plan to use them as bait when she'd heard Gaston mention the word _Clydesdale._ One needed to be extra gentle and careful with big creatures to gain their trust.

Slowly, Naomé and Roxas advanced on the large horse. It glanced up, snorted, and then buried its nose back in the grass. It did, however, keep one eye trained on them as it moved about. Occasionally, it would whinny slightly, as though warning them not to play any tricks while it was watching them.

"I think Belle told me about this horse," Roxas whispered. "His name is Philippe. Supposed to be a big sweetheart, but I don't know how he would react to strangers. Careful."

"I'll handle this," Naomé whispered back. Slowly, she approached Philippe. _I've always loved Clydesdales…I can't believe I'm actually getting close enough to touch one! I hope everything goes all right…we need to speak to Maurice about Belle…_ When she was within a few feet of the magnificent creature, she stopped, broke a carrot in half, and whistled softly to get his attention. "Hey, Philippe. Hey, boy. Look what I've got."

Philippe's head lifted up from grazing. He eyed Naomé with dark, soulful eyes from beneath a tousled forelock. His beautiful flowing creamy-white-colored tail swished back and forth a few times, brushing up against his powerful hindquarters. He especially eyed the broken carrot.

Again, Naomé spoke. This time, however, she dared a step. "Come on, Philippe. You don't have to worry about me. I'm a friend of Belle's. She knows I won't hurt you."

"Naomé," Roxas hissed. "You don't really know Belle! Watch out!"

"I know what I'm doing," Naomé hissed back. She extended her hand with the carrot in it so that it was only a few feet away from Philippe's nose. "See? It's a tasty snack just for you. Go on…take it! It's yours."

Amazingly, Philippe understood. He turned and plodded towards her with his heavy ivory hooves lightly thudding against the ground, coming right up into her face and blasting a breath of air right into it from a snort. He sniffed her over, sniffed the carrot, and then took the vegetable out of her hand and began crunching contentedly on it. He did this as Naomé gently reached up and stroked his powerful neck and tickled him among the hairline of his long mane. All the while, she continued talking softly to him and treating and touching him as she would a small child…_gently._

Roxas, Sora, and KazeRyu stared in awe as Naomé got a friendly bump in the chest from Philippe's nose. Smiling, the Second Keybearer snapped off another piece of the carrot and gave it to the powerful Clydesdale. She looked over at Sora and motioned for him to go ahead and head to the front door.

There wasn't any need to. Maurice, apparently watching the "taming" of his horse from the house, came walking out from the urge of curiosity seizing him. When he came close, he waved to them in a friendly manner. "Hello there! Didn't I see you four back in the tavern?"

KazeRyu nudged Sora sharply. "I will handle this." He looked up at Maurice and did his best to put on a friendly smile, one that wouldn't reveal all of his fangs. "You did indeed, sir. We heard you talking about a girl named Belle, and we wanted to speak to you about her. Two of my friends here know her rather well."

It was at the mentioning of his daughter that Maurice seemed genuinely interested. "You know my daughter? You know my Belle? Do you know where she is?"

Sora smiled. "Roxas and I know Belle very well, sir. We've seen her in the castle where she's staying with the Beast."

Maurice became horrified. "She's still there? Oh, no! What has that horrible beast done to her?" He reached out and grasped Sora's hands. "Tell me, young man! What has happened?"

"Be at peace," Roxas said, trying to be diplomatic. "Belle is fine. The Beast is treating her well. In fact, they've managed to become very close friends. I think the Beast would let Belle come back to see you, but I believe that he is afraid of being hunted down. I take it you know well that he doesn't take kindly to strangers."

"Just slightly," Maurice replied bluntly. He glanced over at Naomé, who'd been gently petting Philippe. "Young lady, it seems to me that Philippe has taken kindly to you. What is your name?"

"Naomé," Naomé replied. "Naomé Windom. And I take it that your name is Maurice?"

Maurice smiled and nodded. "It is indeed. Do you know my daughter, Naomé?"

"I have not yet received the honor of meeting your daughter, but my friends Sora and Roxas know her extremely well. In fact, I think Belle trusted you with her life once or twice, Sora, didn't she?"

Sora nodded. "That's right. There was a couple of times where the Beast couldn't get close enough to protecting her properly, so I protected her myself. Both Belle and the Beast have a profound respect and deep fondness for me. I know because they told me."

Belle's father took Sora's hands in his once more. "Sora, my daughter has a very trusting heart, but for her to trust that heart in the hands of someone else than myself takes a lot of work from the other person. You must've done a great thing to have Belle trust you so quickly. And not only do you have her respect, but now you have earned mine."

The Master of the Keyblade shrugged nonchalantly. "I suppose to others what I did was heroic, but I honestly didn't ever see it as anything that great. I just did what a friend would do for a friend, that's all. That's the best way I know to protect someone I care about." _That probably just sounded_ really_ wrong, but oh well. I got my point across, and that's that._

Roxas smiled. "Sora's like that with everybody, Maurice. He can't help himself when he wants to protect someone. It's just his nature to be protective." He gave Sora a wink. "Right, pal?"

Sora returned the smile. "You know me better than I know myself, Roxas Avalon."

Naomé butted in with a question. "Begging your pardon, Maurice, but who is this Gaston fellow that we are all obviously acquainted with?"

"Gaston is the village champion, the master hunter and expert marksman," Maurice explained. "_Everyone_ thinks that Gaston is the world's biggest hero…everyone except for Belle, that is." He smiled fondly. "Why, she once told me that he was rude and conceited! Can you imagine those kinds of words coming out of my daughter's mouth? Ha!"

"If she dislikes him so, then why do you trust him with her life?" KazeRyu asked.

"Because I know he is capable of finding her," Maurice replied. "It's been a long time, though, since Belle took my place as a prisoner in that beast's castle. As of yet, Gaston and his men have been unable to find her. The path that leads to the castle is so faded that it probably isn't worth trying to go after it anymore. That's why I thought that Belle would never come home. Gaston keeps assuring me, though, that he will find the way to that castle, reclaim Belle, and bring her home."

_So, Gaston's been lying to Maurice, then, _Roxas thought angrily. _That dirty creep Here he is, toying with people's emotions! What an arrogant animal he is! Someday somebody should make him _their_ prey and let him see how he likes it! I'm willing to bet that nobody would go after Gaston, no matter _how much_ of a "hero" he is!_

"All right," Naomé replied. She giggled as Philippe nuzzled her cheek with his velvety soft nose, playfully pushed his head away, and then became serious once more. "But, what was with that whole 'I promise that I will never let her get lost again' bit? Pardon my saying so, but it almost sounds to me like they're married or something like that!"

KazeRyu shot Naomé a disapproving glare, pale gray eyes frosted over with an icy appearance.

Maurice noticed the expression, but explained anyway. "Gaston has told me that he intends on marrying Belle upon her return to this village. I know that Belle would never agree to something like that, but as long as I can keep Gaston happy, then I know that he won't give up on finding Belle for me. I know, it makes me sound cruel, but I would give anything, eve my own life, to have my daughter home safely." He sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Alas, no one else believes me. They only believe Gaston, and I'm beginning to think that even he is losing power over their motivation. It seems that everything is turning to hopelessness."

Sora made an offer. "Maurice, Roxas and I remember well the path to the Beast's castle. KazeRyu could easily sniff out that path for us if we had to. Would you like us to go find Belle and talk to her for you? We can let her know that you're concerned about her if you like."

Again the elderly man tightened his already vise-like grip on Sora's hand. "Oh, I would be so grateful if you did! But first, you must stay the night and rest after your travels. I heard that you came from a long ways away from here, so you must be exhausted. Now, I insist that you stay here with me for tonight! I will hear out no arguments from anyone! You have traveled long and hard to come here and help my daughter, friends, and for that I am most grateful! Please, please, come and stay the night!"

The response from the two Keybearers and their friends was wholeheartedly unanimous.

_The Next Morning_

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House - Stables_

The following morning was as brilliant and clear as the one from before. Birds flitted about in the clean air, and the sounds of a quiet village waking from its peaceful slumbers mingled with the sounds of nature's own awakening.

Sora, Naomé, Roxas, and KazeRyu, now well-rested and in good spirits, were preparing to leave. Maurice was down in his cellar-cum-workshop, where he was tinkering with various projects. Belle's father was an inventor by trade, and was also known to be a bit of an absentminded fellow.

Naomé was standing in Philippe's stall, slowly brushing his coat while he ate his breakfast of oats, which Roxas had warmed on the stove in the tiny kitchen in the house. He, Sora and KazeRyu were either sitting or leaning around the same stall, KazeRyu constantly fending off the chickens that seemed to take a liking to pecking at his tail, which to them was probably a gigantic furred worm.

"Go on! Get out of here, you stupid, pesky barnyard fowl!" The celestial werewolf cursed, batting a hen that was sitting on his head and pecking at his ears in a search for any parasites that might've hidden in them. He gave Naomé an imploring look. "Naomé, my friend, will you _please_ get these blasted birds away from me? I can not _stand_ chickens! The only way I like them is when they are food for my stomach!"

Shaking her head, Naomé brushed Philippe's hindquarters with a gentle sweeping motion. She snorted when the horse's tail caught her in the face and nose, making her sneeze from dust. "Hey! Is that the thanks I get for taking care of you? The nerve of you, sir!"

Philippe nickered softly and rubbed up against Naomé's cheek with his own in apology.

Roxas came from out of the house, an apple in hand. He had cleaned up his clothes, and now they were back to being black instead if an ashen gray. As for the apple, he had cut it up with a slightly dulled knife, and was now nibbling on the slices with Sora. Occasionally, he would generously flick a piece in the Clydesdale's direction, and Philippe would whinny in thanks. He laughed when Naomé playfully reprimanded Belle's horse. "I think he knows who's the boss here, Naomé. It's obviously you!"

Sora gnawed thoughtfully on his snack. "Hmmm…I'm beginning to seriously wonder about something here…"

"That's dangerous," Roxas teased.

Naomé sniggered noisily.

"Very funny, Roxas," Sora growled, frowning. He continued from where he'd left off. "Anyway, I'm wondering just what could've happened to Belle and the Beast when the Infiltrators and the Organization came to call? Could we have accidentally told Maurice a lie? Could Belle be dead and we don't know it?"

It was Roxas's turn to frown. "Sora! Give Belle and the Beast a little bit of faith, would you? I don't think that they would succumb to the Darkness _that_ easily! Besides, Belle is a Princess of the Heart!"

"Exactly my point," Sora replied. "Belle's always been a target! She has been, just like Aurora, Jasmine, Alice, Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella and Kairi have always been. That's not going to change until I can save Kingdom Hearts once and for all! Only _then_ will they truly be safe!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! 'Princesses of the Heart?' Come on, boys! I was just starting to understand Keyblades, Heartless, Nobodies, Organization XIII, and the Infiltrators, and now all of this mumbo jumbo comes spilling out into the mix of terms that are half-drowning my brain! I'm surprised I _haven't_ drowned yet! You've _totally_ lost me in translation! What are you talking about?" Naomé cried in exasperation.

Sora explained. "The Princesses of the Heart are said to have Hearts that are so pure and full of the purest Light that they almost quite literally hold a piece of Kingdom Hearts's true power within them. If all of these Princesses are in the same place at the same time, then Kingdom Hearts itself can be accessed. And if that should happen by someone who's wanting to conquer the universe with Darkness, then that can spell danger for everyone."

Naomé winced. "Ah. I see. However, I noticed that you mentioned your friend Kairi in there. She's a Princess, as well?"

"Yes. And she's supposed to be the strongest one of all. Her Heart is the final Key to Kingdom Hearts. That's why she's in the most danger out of any of them. Her power makes her a target."

"Anyone with power is a target," Roxas said matter-of-factly. "Including us."

KazeRyu grinned. "Yes, Roxas. Very good! And as for you, Sora, Kairi's obvious power is what makes you desire to be her 'hero,' is it not? You want to be her 'knight in shining armor,' do you not?"

"Watch it," Sora warned.

Naomé gave Philippe a final pat on his heavy shoulder as she set his brush down. "Kaze, be nice. Sora is concerned for Kairi. She's always been his friend. I personally don't blame him." She gave her friend a sly smirk as she leaned in close to Sora's ear. "And we both know _exactly_ what it is that makes you so drawn to protecting her, don't we, Sora?"

Sora blushed. "Uh…yeah! Yeah, sure we do!"

Roxas sniggered.

Trying to hide her friend's embarrassment, Naomé decisively clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention. "Right. Now, we all know that Sora's and my duties as the First and Second Keybearers of Kingdom Hearts is that we have to protect those who have the power to access Kingdom Hearts, or those who have the ability to grant that power to an outside source, right?"

KazeRyu nodded. "That would be correct, Naomé. Very observant."

"Thank you. Well, it's obvious then that Sora and I, along with you two, have an obligation to protect the Princesses…including and especially Kairi, seeing as she's the most powerful one So, right now we should be concerned about Belle, obviously because we're in her World. Therefore, I propose that we leave now and go check up on her. I'm willing to bet you that she's probably found a way to survive for _this_ long. After all, don't we have a job to do?"

The Master of the Keyblade smiled when he heard Naomé say _we._ It was obvious that she was starting to understand her destiny and how it was connected with his. "You're absolutely right, Naomé. Let's get going! And by the way, I'm really proud of you, kid."

Naomé was puzzled. "Me? Why?"

"Because you're picking everything up so fast," Sora replied. "You're a fast learner, Naomé Windom! You'll be a Master of the Keyblade in no time! Er, I should say _Mistress_ of the Keyblade, considering the fact that you're a girl." He walked past her towards the door to the stall, intentionally brushing his shoulder up against hers. "You know, I'm gonna get you for that little stunt that you just pulled about me and Kairi," He hissed through clenched teeth.

Naomé smirked slyly. "Fine. Hit me with your best shot. But you know as well as I do that what I said was the truth." But then she frowned in irritation. "Besides, would I betray what you _really_ feel? I don't think so. I only learned your secret because I emulated your heart. You need to learn how to trust others once in a while, Sora. And I would suggest that you start five minutes ago."

Sora scowled. _Dang…she got me again! Oh, well…she's right, anyhow…I _do_ need to learn how to trust others again…I guess my lessons start right now…_

Roxas leapt off of the door to Philippe's stall and took off towards the path leading back into town. "Last one to the bottom of the hill's a rotten egg!"

KazeRyu groaned as he finally managed to kick the chicken that'd been pestering him away. "That Roxas…he has certainly got a way with words."

Naomé laughed as she lunged over the gate after her friend, Sora and KazeRyu hard on her heels behind her. Despite the initial difficulties she'd encountered when she'd first come to Kingdom Hearts, she actually found herself having fun for a change! _I've always loved a challenge…let's see what Kingdom Hearts can offer me!_


	18. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

_**Return to the Enchanted Castle**_

_**Beast's Castle – Mysterious Forest**_

**A long, drawn out chorus of howls sent Roxas, Sora and Naomé tripping and stumbling over one another as they fought to keep their footing on the rocky ground of the heavily fogged forest, dodging about as ominous tress, black as though burned, reached down to try and snare them with their thorn-like branches.**

"_**Devastating Howl!**_**" KazeRyu sent a furious salvo into the mists, scattering the vicious wolf pack that'd been pursuing them for the last half-hour. He watched warily as the howls and the shadows of the wolves faded into the murky darkness, leaving he and his friends alone in the gloom. Sighing, he turned around and addressed Sora flatly. "What in the name of Kingdom Hearts were you thinking, Sora? I wanna know what got into your head a few hours ago!"**

**Sora scowled. "I was **_**trying**_** to find the path back to the Beast's Castle that I used to take ten years ago. However, it seems that the mists have gotten thicker since I was last here, so my path is kind of…well, lost."**

"**Oh, wonderful," Naomé replied sarcastically. "That means that **_**we're**_** lost, too!"**

**Roxas glared at his friend. "Good one, Sora."**

"**Shut up, Roxas," Sora replied. "Need I remind you that **_**you**_** were the one responsible for us getting lost the last time we came here? That was why I marked a trail!"**

"**Oh, very funny," Roxas sneered. "And what other kinds of smart-aleck remarks have you got tucked away in that big mouth of yours, hm?"**

**Sora took a threatening step towards Roxas, fingers curled so that he resembled a wild animal reaching out with their paws. "I wouldn't be so cocky if I were-"**

**Naomé stepped right in the middle of the argument. "Hey, **_**hey!**_** That's enough, all right? Save the beating each other up whenever we get to where we're supposed to be going! I'd rather be alive and inside of a castle than a rabid wolf's next meal! Let's go!"**

**Growling, KazeRyu landed in front of his friends. "I managed to keep the wolves back for a little bit. Now, where is that castle you said your friend was at?"**

"**Somewhere over there," Sora replied, pointing just slightly to the northeast. "I'm not one hundred percent certain, but I **_**think**_** I can see one of the towers looming up over the mist."**

**Roxas leaped up onto an oddly shaped root of a grisly tree. "I think Sora's right," he replied, narrowing his eyes. "I think that is one of the towers to the Beast's castle."**

**Naomé took off running. "Well, I want to get out of these godforsaken woods before I get mauled! Hurry up!" She paused when she didn't hear footsteps behind her, and swirled around to see Sora, Roxas and KazeRyu standing in the same place. "What are you bastards waiting for, a blasted invitation? **_**Come on!**_**"**

**KazeRyu swung SaigaSama over his shoulder. "I think I am going to agree with her on this one. Besides, I would not want to see a lady get chewed to ribbons by a bunch of slobbering puppies. Come on, let us go."**

**Glancing back occasionally, Sora took off after Naomé and KazeRyu while Roxas temporarily acted as a rearguard.**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Bridge**_

**The Beast's castle was made of dark, ominous granite that reached so high up it seemed to touch the stormy skies when looking up from the ground. A long, paved walkway stretched across a wide moat was securely locked behind heavy wrought iron gates that resembled prison bars with spear point-like endings on the top and bottom. Inside the gates, the chiseled castle, complete with grayish-blue slate roofing tiles and gargoyle-like statues, loomed over the travelers like a monstrous slab of cliffs.**

**Naomé craned her neck back. "Whoa…that's a **_**big**_** castle…"**

"**Big castle, huh? Must be for a pretty big Beast," KazeRyu remarked.**

"**He's not **_**that**_** big!" Sora interrupted. "He's **_**maybe**_** about your height, KazeRyu. **_**Maybe**_**. Of course, he's built more like a boulder, but he's otherwise not that bad."**

**Roxas rattled the gates. "Hey! The gates are unlocked! Just like the last time! Sora, we can get in and away from those wolves!"**

**Naomé bashed her way through the gates. "Well, what are we waiting for? Get me away from those red-eyed monsters! I've never seen anything so terrifying in my life!"**

**Sora started laughing. "Whassamatta, Naomé? **_**Scared?**_**"**

_**WHAM!**_** Roxas threw a meaty punch into his friend's shoulder. "Idiot! Leave Naomé **_**alone!**_** There weren't any wolves back on the Key Islands! Remember, she hasn't seen as many things as you have, so it's not fair for you to tease her!"**

_**That was a good punch,**_** KazeRyu thought, smirking. He turned and watched as Naomé started tearing down the bridge and towards the heavy oak doors. Ignoring Sora and Roxas, he dodged around the gates and took off after her at his full speed, catching up to her almost immediately. "Hey. What is the hurry? Once those gates are closed, those demons will not be able to get to you."**

**Naomé skidded to a halt on the steps leading to the doors. She gave her wolf-like friend an embarrassed glance. "To be perfectly honest, KazeRyu, I've never told anyone I'm afraid of getting lost. I've had dreams all of my life about getting lost in places like this, and every time I woke up, I had just been attacked by something terrible. So, it's not that I'm chicken or anything, but I just have a really good reason for not being out in this mess any longer than I have to."**

**KazeRyu smiled. "That is okay, Naomé. Everybody is scared of something." His expression became serious as he laid a taloned hand on her shoulder and locked gazes with her. "Do not worry about anything, Naomé. Just stick by me and we shall get out of this mess together. We did back on the Key Islands when we found the Door, and we can certainly do it again. I am your friend, Naomé, and I will not let any of those monsters out there get you." The smile returned to his face again as he lightly punched her shoulder. "Come on. Let us get inside."**

"**Thanks, KazeRyu," Naomé said shyly. "You're a great friend, do you know that?"**

"**I did not until you told me," KazeRyu replied, pushing the door open. He bowed with mock courtliness and a sweeping gesture of his hand. "After you, my dear lady."**

**Naomé was about to oblige with the same gravity, when she suddenly heard Sora's voice calling out after her. "**_**Hey!**_** Wait for us, you idiots!"**

"**Oh great," KazeRyu groaned softly. "Watch out, Naomé. Here comes the march of the dumb ones." He yelled out at Sora and Roxas as they came running up towards him. "What took you guys so long? You got your shoes stuck in the mud?"**

**Sora trotted huffily up to the doors. "Watch your mouth, Wind Dragon! I had to settle a **_**disagreement**_** with someone," He growled, glaring icily in Roxas's direction.**

**Roxas was affronted. "Hey!" He snapped. "It's like I said: it's not right to laugh at Naomé just because she doesn't want to get eaten alive! Who wouldn't, anyway? **_**I**_** certainly wouldn't!"**

"**That's 'cause you're **_**chicken**_**," Sora sneered. "**_**Ouch!**_**"**

**Naomé flinched as she saw Roxas bonk Sora on the head with one end of his KeyStaff. **_**"Ouch" is right! That looked painful! I know that was just a light tap, but still…ouch!**_

**Grumbling and swearing under his breath, Sora made his way into the Grand Foyer. He rubbed his head where Roxas had bopped him. **_**Stupid Roxas Avalon…I'll get him for that!**_

**As the four warriors went inside, none of them noticed that one of the gargoyles had been watching them. As they shut the door behind them, the figure took off, using the edge of the bridge as a springboard as they jumped through a broken first story window and into the inky darkness of the castle.**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall**_

**Naomé's eyes went wide at the massive height of the castle. Far, far above her, the high vaulted ceiling with wide architectural arches bowed over her head like the bones of a humungous creature's ribcage. The castle, musty, dark and damp, was devoid of color, aside from a worn plush carpet runner of faded purple velvet and decorated with gold trim running along the middle of the floor.**

"**Geez, talk about your prime real estate," KazeRyu remarked sarcastically as he tested the musty air with a sniff. He promptly covered his nose. "Whoa! This place stinks like something died in here!"**

**Roxas wrinkled his nose. "**_**Eeewww…**_**"**

**Naomé grimaced. "Disgusting, KazeRyu. I hope for your sake that we **_**don't**_** find something dead in here. If we do, then I'm going to have to kick your butt."**

"**Why? I would be right."**

"**That's why. I **_**hate**_** dead things, especially when they start decaying. It's gruesome."**

**Sora was forced to agree. "Yeah, it **_**is**_** pretty gross. I don't blame you on this one, Naomé…I'd hate to find something dead in here, too."**

**` "Well, I don't see anything dead," Roxas said, "But, I **_**do**_** see Heartless."**

"**Where?" Sora whispered sharply. "Show me!"**

**Roxas pointed to the floor. About fifteen feet ahead of them, a lonely Shadow was crawling about in its two-dimensional fashion, acting like a crocodile that was stalking beneath the murky waters of a swamp. Hopping around on the landing at the top of the staircase that branched off towards the Dancing Hall and the East and West Wings was a Lance Soldier, a strange Heartless that looked like a stunted knight and wielding an oversized lance.**

**Naomé pursed her lips. "So, there's Heartless here, huh? **_**That**_** doesn't surprise me."**

**KazeRyu sniggered. "You are starting to sound like Sora, Naomé."**

"**What's wrong with that?" Sora asked. "It just means that she's starting to get used to seeing Heartless and Nobodies hanging around. Give her credit for something, KazeRyu."**

**The wolfish warrior glared at him, making the Keybearer recoil in anticipation of a blow.**

"**Sora?"**

**Stunned, Sora, Roxas, Naomé and KazeRyu looked up to the castle above. A young woman was standing on the third level, eyes wide in disbelief. She was wearing a white shirt with a summer blue dress pulled over it and a pair of simple country shoes. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and kept in place with a wide blue ribbon that matched her dress.**

"**Belle!" Sora cried in recognition. "Long time, no see!"**

**But Belle didn't seem so happy to see Sora. "Sora, there's tons of those Heartless things in the castle! They keep coming after me!"**

**Concerned, Naomé scanned the area. She was about to tell Sora that she didn't see anything when she suddenly spotted some of the inky blackness swirling around behind Belle. **_**That's not right…the darkness shouldn't be moving like that…unless…**_

"_**Sora!**_**" Naomé warned him, tugging on his jacket sleeve and pointing up into the shadows. "There's Heartless hiding in there! I can see the shadows moving around behind Belle!"**

_**Naomé's right! There **_**are**_** Heartless up there!**_** Sora hollered up towards his friend. "**_**Belle!**_** Look out!" He ran towards the staircase, only to be blocked by Shadows and Lancers. "Damn! Hang on, Belle! We're coming!" He shouted up to the ceiling, taking his Keyblade to his foes.**

**Naomé narrowed her eyes. "They'll never reach Belle in time," She said softly. Suddenly, she had a whopper of an idea. "KazeRyu! You can jump pretty high, right?"**

"**Yeah, so what?" KazeRyu replied, batting a Shadow into the wall.**

"**So, **_**you**_** can jump up to the third level and get Belle out of there! You can get there before any of us can! Hurry, KazeRyu!"**

**KazeRyu suddenly turned his direction away from the Heartless and on figuring out the quickest way to get up to save Belle. Rushing past Naomé in a blur of color, he took to one of the wide stone columns and swung around it like a carousel and threw himself up into the air, where he bounced off another column and ricocheted up one last time to land right beside Belle, startling her.**

"**Sorry, Your Highness," KazeRyu apologized distractedly as he hacked and slashed at the Heartless. He ducked low to the ground and tackled a Lance Soldier, breaking its neck with a swift snap of his left hand. Whirling on his heels, he unleashed his Swift Shadow Strike and tore apart a wall of Shadows that'd been sneaking up on Belle. He crouched next to her, pale eyes glancing up momentarily from beneath his silvery-white mane to give Belle a simple instruction. "Get on my back! Hurry!"**

**Belle understood immediately. She jumped onto KazeRyu's back and hung on tight as he lunged over the railing and took the same path he'd taken to get up to her back down. When they were both firmly on the ground, KazeRyu slid Belle off his back and tore headlong into a group of Lance Soldiers that'd tried to corner Roxas.**

**Naomé helped Belle to her feet. "Sorry. KazeRyu gets a little terse when he's in the middle of a big fight. By the way, my name's Naomé Windom."**

"**Thanks," Belle replied gratefully, hastily dusting off her dress. "So, Naomé, what did you that guy's name was?"**

"**KazeRyu."**

"**Right. KazeRyu. Is he always like that?"**

**Naomé smiled. "Not really. Like I said, he gets a little nasty when fighting, but the rest of the time he's a really nice guy. By the way, Sora said there's someone named 'Beast' that lives here. Do you know of anyone by that name?"**

**Belle nodded. "Yes, I do." She smiled herself when she heard a loud roar come echoing down from higher up in the castle. "In fact, I think that would be him…"**

**Stunned, Naomé watched as a massive form covered in dark fur and dressed in tight black pants and a long deep indigo cloak came soaring out from the second level and to the ground floor, its clean white fangs gleaming in the moonlight streaming in from the first level windows. The thing's eyes, a stunning blue gleaming with feral intelligence, glared beneath heavy brows and curved dark gray horns that were framed by a wild and shaggy mane that flowed in the breeze from its descent. She felt her heart quail with primal fear as the thing let out another earth-shaking howl that was louder than any wolf in the forest outside.**

**More of the Heartless came swarming towards Naomé and Belle, threatening their location. Naomé dropped low into a fighter's stance, curling her fists and holding them at shoulder level in front of her body. She was going to fight for Belle with everything she had!**

**At that particular moment, the shaggy creature crash-landed right in front of her, long flowing tail whipping around its ankles as it crouched towards the ground, massive paws digging into the stones for traction as it prepared to lunge at the Heartless. The thing glared over its shoulder at Naomé and narrowed the single blue eye it'd trained on her. "Leave these things to me," It growled menacingly. "I'll take it from here, girl."**

"_**Girl?**_**" Naomé spat as the Beast threw himself into the fray. "You watch your mouth, you filth-ridden, mange-afflicted son of a-"**

"**Beast!" Belle scolded him. "That wasn't very nice! Naomé was only trying to help!"**

"**Yeah, what she said!" Naomé replied angrily. "Take that back, **_**Beast!**_**"**

**Roxas snickered as he heard Naomé and Belle yelling at the Beast. **_**Well, I'm glad to see that the Beast is back in action, but it's also really funny to see him getting yelled at by **_**two**_** girls. The expression on his face is downright hilarious! Those fangs make that face look even funnier than it really is!**_

**Sora, meanwhile, had taken a back-to-back stance with the Beast, Keyblade held out in front of him like a shield. "Long time, no see, Beast," He greeted his long-lost ally as he sliced a Lance Soldier into two half-Lancer Soldiers. "Good to see you're still around."**

"**Same to you," The Beast replied between taking a chomp out of a Shadow. "Belle and I thought something terrible happened to you, Sora. Is everything all right?"**

"**Well…sort of," Sora said, kicking a Dusk aside. "Rats! Now there's **_**Nobodies**_** coming out of the woodwork! This is **_**not**_** my day!"**

"**I wondered what those things were called," The Beast growled angrily, ripping a Creeper apart with a swipe of his claws. "All I knew was that they were in my castle, they were after Belle, and I didn't want them in here or anywhere near her at all!"**

"**Sounds like good enough of a reason to me," Roxas said, letting loose with a sharp snap-kick to a Dusk that'd tried to come floating after him. "Get out of my way, Nobodies! Geez, you things are a pain in the neck!"**

"**Welcome to my life, Roxas," Sora growled, imitating the Beast's deep tone of voice as he joined his animal-like friend in tearing a Shadow that'd just tried to mess with the wrong warriors.**

**Naomé, meanwhile, had backed Belle up against the wall, fighting desperately to keep the Heartless and now encroaching Nobodies away. "Argh! Belle, isn't there a way that we can get these things away from us? You know, somewhere we can hang out until this whole thing blows over?"**

"**Well, there's the drawing room," Belle suggested. "But, it's over on the other side of the hall. See where those doors are? That's where it is."**

_**Blasphemies!**_** Naomé thought furiously as she clobbered a Shadow senseless. She flinched as she felt a Creeper lunge onto her back, whereupon she promptly ripped the thing off her spine and started flailing away at her foes with it. As that one disintegrated from taking too much damage, Naomé caught a hold of a Shadow and repeated the process in an endless loop of snatching, swinging and snatching once more. At one point, she caught a hold of a Lance Soldier and found herself dragged into the air by it. Gritting her teeth, she gamely hung onto the Heartless's lance, finally managing to use the forces of gravity to yank the thing back down to the ground, immediately shattering it into a cloud of black smoke and taking several of its dark and light-colored allies with it.**

"**Nice one, Naomé!" Sora laughed. "Well done! Very well done! Now you're learning!"**

"**Congratulate me **_**after**_** we're done with all of this mess!" Naomé shot back, swinging her fists left and right to pummel her foes backwards and away from her. She swept low to the ground and in, this time snagging a Dusk by its pointed legs and whirling it like a lasso over her head. At the last moment, she brought it slamming down like a mace, bashing its blank face into the stone floor and causing a shockwave that took out some more of her Darkness-wielding foes.**

**Belle allowed Naomé to cover her as they slowly backed around the hall and towards the drawing room. Suddenly, she grabbed one of the wrought iron candelabras and tossed it to Naomé. "That might help some, Naomé! Give it a shot!"**

"**Thanks, Belle!" Naomé replied, holding the lit candles in front of her like a pitchfork. She swung the candelabra back and forth across her body in a fluid rhythm, all the while backing up one step at a time. Unfortunately, she wasn't a massive height, so it was near to impossible to use the makeshift weapon as a staff. However, she **_**did**_** have one thing in her possession that was a definite strength: imagination.**

**A couple of the Heartless dared to get too close to her. Naomé reacted swiftly by dropping the standing end of her weapon into the ground and using it to vault herself up into the air, suddenly whipping the candelabra around and over her head as she brought it smashing down like she'd done to the Dusk she'd had a hold of earlier. She blasted the Shadows into smithereens and landed lightly back on her feet, bringing the wrought iron "staff" out in front of her like a spear. "Who's next?" She hissed.**

**Terrified, the Heartless and Nobodies began backing away from her, tripping and stumbling over one another as they finally managed to find a path to escape. They slithered away from her like lightning and ran towards the grand staircase to join the rest of their kind in the war against Sora, Roxas, KazeRyu and the Beast.**

**Belle yanked Naomé, candelabra and all, into the drawing room and promptly locked the door. "Phew! That was too close! Are you all right, Naomé? You were pulling some pretty amazing things out there!"**

**Naomé cracked her neck noisily, flinching as she felt the bones realign themselves. "Ouch! That hurt, but I **_**really**_** needed that! Anyway, I've always had to learn to fend for myself, Belle. I spent my whole life looking over my shoulder, so it was only natural for me to pick something up and use it."**

**The sounds of battle reached outside the doors. Naomé strained her hearing to identify Roxas standing only a few feet away from the doors and using his own wild tactics with his KeyStaff to hold the enemy off. She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Wait in here, Belle. Sounds like someone needs some backup. I'll be back in flash."**

"**Sure," Belle replied as Naomé threw the doors open. **_**I wish I could do that…**_

"**You just can't keep yourself out of trouble, can you, Avalon?" Naomé hissed as she came to stand beside Roxas and wield her candelabra staff.**

"**Well, **_**Sora**_** was the one that told me to go after you and Belle, so it's **_**his**_** fault that I'm here, not mine!" Roxas grunted, whipping his KeyStaff around and slicing a Dusk in half. "Besides, I wasn't exactly unwilling to go. I didn't mind the fact that I got a little piece of the action all to myself. It's not very often that Sora lets someone get that, you know."**

**Naomé snorted derisively in reply as she ducked below Roxas's KeyStaff and stabbed out with the candelabra, tripping up a Soldier that'd come wandering into the fight and flinging it into the air with a flick of the iron pole. She slid onto her back as a Dusk lashed out in its trademark double-footed kick, whipping around and stabbing down into the creature's back and spiking it like a fork spikes a green bean. Snarling, she brought it screaming over her head as she did another one-hundred-and-eighty degree turn, crunching both the Creeper and the Dusk like cockroaches. With a roar that was impressive for a woman, Naomé charged down a Lancer like she was at a joust and locked the candelabra around its lance and swung it about like an Olympian does to a hammer during the hammer throw. At the last moment, she brought it back down so that it was at waist level and rammed into another Soldier and a Shadow, blasting all three to bits.**

**KazeRyu howled in approval at Naomé's triple kill. "Good job, Naomé! Excellent! You are starting to get the hang of it!"**

"**Thanks!" Naomé replied, vaulting over another Dusk. She caught another Lancer with her "staff" and flung it like a stone from a slingshot, cracking it into the Dusk and blowing them out. Roxas threw a Soldier towards her, and she promptly responded by hurling a Creeper right at it. Both Heartless and Nobody exploded in a shower of smoke and sparks, raining a sooty material on the floor.**

"**Good!" Roxas encouraged his friend. "Try that again!"**

**Naomé took Roxas's words to heart and threw a Dusk like it was a rag doll, Roxas coming flying up behind it, doing a quick midair twirl around another Dusk and completed his two-hundred-and-seventy degree whirl by smacking out with his KeyStaff and throwing the Dusk down into the ground so hard that Naomé could feel the shockwave of the contact through her boots. "Geez, Roxas! What're you trying to do? Break the floor?"**

"**Sorry," Roxas replied, landing right next to her. "Hey, Naomé…I've got an idea. Why don't you gear up your emulation powers? Maybe you can deal some damage that way."**

"**What's wrong with what I'm doing?" Naomé asked.**

"**Nothing. Just trust me."**

"**Okay…what enemy should I emulate?"**

**Roxas grinned slyly as he whirled and caught Naomé's left hand in his. "None of them."**

**Naomé felt her emulation powers snag Roxas's powers. "Idiot! What did you just do?"**

"**Easy," Roxas replied, his grin widening. "You just emulated my abilities. You know, kind of like what you did with KazeRyu back in Hollow Bastion? Now you can use the candelabra just like I can use my KeyStaff!"**

**Suddenly, Naomé felt a gear in her mind **_**click.**_** A sudden influx of instincts told her exactly what she needed to do. **_**I got this feeling back in Hollow Bastion…I'm thinking like Roxas now!**_** "Oh!" She said excitedly. "I get it!"**

"**Go to it, **_**Roxas,**_**" Roxas chuckled, nudging her.**

"**Shut it," Naomé growled, nudging him back. "Let's try this out!"**

**Over on the stairs, Sora and KazeRyu caught sight of Naomé's emulation powers being geared up, as well as Roxas's grabbing her hand. It didn't take them long to figure that Roxas had employed a tactic Naomé had used back in Hollow Bastion: **_**emulation of an ally's abilities.**_

"**This ought to be good!" KazeRyu called over to Sora as he jumped over the Beast's back and attacked with his Swift Shadow Strike on two Shadows that'd been sneaking up behind their massive ally. "Now we have **_**two**_** KeyStaff masters! That means four times the damage!"**

"**I want to take a look at this!" Sora laughed, sliding beneath a Dusk and tumbling down the stairs in a skilled somersault. He jumped back up onto his feet at the base of the grand staircase, slid around a Creeper, then did another tumble so that he was closer to his friends. **_**I want front row seats to this act!**_

**Naomé and Roxas, meanwhile, were making good use of the duplicated abilities of Roxas's KeyStaff skills. Together, they hacked, slashed, spun, twirled, flung, dodged, vaulted and plowed their way through their enemies, the speed of their attacks almost blinding in intensity. Both ends of the KeyStaff and the wrought iron candelabra melded together into a whirling tornado, scooping up any Heartless or Nobodies that stood in the way and tearing them to bits. Sora skidded in between them, adding the power of his Master Form to the mix, creating six times the power of the twin-bladed attacks. KazeRyu and the Beast joined in together, gathering all their enemies in one area and transforming their powers into a vicious onslaught of a violent display of power and skill.**

**Belle peeked out around the door to the drawing room and watched in awe as the Heartless and Nobodies were driven back and out the front door of the castle. She came out just in time to see the Beast furiously slam the door closed with enough force to rattle the mortar on the walls loose, bringing down a few flecks of the crumbling plaster from the ceilings high above and having them drop into the middle of the hall floor like giant snowflakes.**

**Sora brushed plaster out of his hair. "Beast! You don't have to bring the castle down around our heads to prove a point! I know that you wanted to get those bastards out of here, and that's perfectly understandable, but don't forget that there's more where those came from! And besides, it's not going to do any good if you end up not having a castle to defend!"**

**KazeRyu grinned mockingly. "What is wrong, Sora? Dandruff?" He sniggered.**

"**Shut it!" Sora warned.**

**Belle came running over, concern painting her delicate features. "Beast! Are you okay?"**

**The Beast waggled a claw in his ear to get a fragment of the plaster out. He grimaced and bared his fangs as he accidentally scratched himself. "A few scratches, but nothing terrible." He locked his gaze on Belle. "Are **_**you**_** all right, Belle?"**

"**Yes." Belle turned to Naomé. "Naomé protected me."**

**Naomé flicked her golden blonde hair out of her face, completely oblivious to the fact that the Beast was coming over to her. She was still catching her breath when she noticed that she was standing in the middle of a massive shadow…**_**Beast's shadow**_**. Startled, she looked up and found herself staring face-to-face with the Beast himself, who got down on all fours and glared right at her with a fierce, almost barbaric, expression. Unnerved, Naomé fought to control her rising fear and bravely addressed the Beast. "Um…hi."**

**The Beast was considerable in size in comparison to Naomé, whom he made look like a small child. He took a good, hard look at her, glanced icily at the candelabra in her hand, then back at her. He remained silent, only continuing to stare at her with that same cold face.**

**Sora had a bad feeling that the Beast wasn't exactly fond of Naomé, and he said so. "Naomé…be careful…move back **_**real**_** slow…" He watched as Naomé cautiously took a couple delicate, noiseless steps backwards, as though she was walking on thin ice. All the while, she kept eye contact with the Beast, never batting an eyelid as she fought to control her racing heart.**

**Suddenly, the Beast grabbed Naomé by her shirt and stood up to his full height, literally lifting the six-foot-one young woman clear off her feet by at least a good six inches. He brought her extremely close to his face, so close that their noses were touching, and growled softly. His piercing blue eyes loomed in Naomé's vision, completely filling everything but her peripheral sight, and his hideous breath nearly made her gag as it swirled about her face. But still, despite the eminent threat, Naomé continued to remain quiet and stare boldly into the Beast's ferocious gaze.**

"**Beast!" Belle cried. "Put her down!"**

**KazeRyu managed to catch Naomé's attention for but a moment. He locked his gaze with hers and spoke a simple phrase in the strange dialect he occasionally spoke in. "**_**Valdeora, Naomé!**_**" He emphasized the phrase by taking his left hand, curling it into a fist, and then contacting it in the palm of his right hand. His direction was clear and simple: **_**Fight, Naomé!**_

**Naomé understood the sign language immediately. She dropped the candelabra in her right hand and took both hands to the Beast's meaty, sinewy "paw." She latched her fingers around his, which had dug themselves into her shirt, and pulled hard, digging her nails in as hard as she could and straining with every ounce of strength she could muster. The Beast growled and tried to tighten his grip, but Naomé growled back with just as much ferocity and put even greater pressure into her grapple.**

**Belle went to move towards the Beast, but she stopped when Sora held her back. When she turned to protest, Sora shook his head in warning, his face stern and unforgiving. Reluctantly, Belle was forced to stand on the sidelines and watch the Beast and Naomé test each other's strengths.**

**The Beast brought his other paw up and smothered Naomé's hands underneath it. He applied his own squeezing pressure to it, making Naomé squirm as she felt (and heard) the bones in her hands cracking. Desperately, Naomé reverted to her old instincts of her "street fighter" days and caught the Beast completely off guard as she whipped her head forward and buried her teeth into the fur-covered flesh of his hand with the vicious venom of a viper.**

**The trick worked. The Beast roared in pain and released her as though he'd touched molten metal, dropping her to the ground and grasping at the bite marks from her teeth. Naomé snatched up the candelabra and held it out in front of her like a trident, pointing it directly at the Beast's throat. She stared aggressively into the Beast's smoldering gaze, her face a frozen mask of stone cold fury.**

**Roxas almost yelped in shock at the sight of Naomé's lightning quick reflexes. He'd never seen anyone move so fast! How had Naomé pulled off her escape so quickly and with such little injury to herself? Didn't she realize that she'd just attacked a beastly Prince?**

**The Beast, too, was surprised by Naomé's reactions. Here was a woman that was so tough that she actually had it in her to unflinchingly bite someone like he would have bit a wolf that got too close, a woman that had fearlessly faced someone who could very easily knock her head off her shoulders, and yet she'd remained cool-headed enough to defend herself! He was thoroughly impressed by Naomé's courage and skill. Belle had received a good protector during that battle.**

**Sora could tell that the Beast was obviously pleased by something, as there was an odd gleam in his eyes and an odd sort of smile on his face. "What's up, Beast? You look happy about something over there."**

"**The girl's got a spirit, that's what," Beast replied, flashing Naomé a slightly fanged grin. "She's not afraid of anything, that one is. Where'd you find her?"**

"**I didn't find her, she found me," Sora explained. "Naomé's the Second Keybearer."**

"**What's that?" Belle asked.**

**Naomé answered. "It means that should Sora be unable to complete his duties and Seal Kingdom Hearts, I can do it in his place. That way, no matter what happens, Kingdom Hearts can finally be Sealed and everything can go back to normal."**

"**Normal is a good thing," The Beast said, finally releasing his right hand. "It'd be nice to have things restored to 'normal' in my castle. I'm getting **_**really**_** sick of all of this."**

"**That reminds me," Sora said. "Beast, why haven't you broken the spell yet? The last time I was here, you were like, **_**dead close**_** to breaking it. What happened? You and Belle had a lover's quarrel and screwed everything up?"**

"**No," Beast growled angrily. "The Infiltrators."**

**Sora rolled his eyes. "Oh, no," He moaned. "They reactivated the spell, didn't they?"**

**Beast gritted his fangs. "No. The spell didn't break to begin with. Instead, they made it even more difficult for me to break it."**

**Roxas was curious. "What do you have to do now to turn back, Beast?"**

**The answer was far less than optimistic. "I don't know. They never told me."**

"**Humph. Typical," Sora snorted. "They screw things up and don't leave any clue as to how it can be fixed. Obviously, they left that dilemma for me to figure out, and they figured that I'd never get out and start making their pitiful little lives miserable again."**

"**What happened to you, anyway?" Belle asked. "You just…**_**vanished,**_** all of a sudden."**

**Sora 's disgust was evident as he replied. "They put me under an enchanted sleep and locked me in a crystal for the last ten years. And I didn't have Kairi to free me like you have Belle, Beast. **_**Naomé's**_** the one that freed me."**

**Now the Beast was **_**really**_** impressed. "Really? Sounds like she's a keeper, Sora."**

**Both Sora and Naomé's jaws went slack. They glanced at each other and flushed with embarrassment. There was **_**no way in Hell**_** that they had any ideas about that! Besides, both of them knew that Sora had basically promised himself to Kairi, and that was that! Roxas's reaction, however, was not one of shock. No, his was more of outrage, of a seething anger. He felt angered and betrayed at the very thought that there might have been anything at all between Naomé and Sora, but he was also rather surprised at his own violent reaction to the comment. **_**What's going on with me? I've never felt like this before! Is this…jealousy?**_

**KazeRyu noted Roxas's fury-filled countenance. **_**Something's not right about Roxas's face…he seems, well, **_**angry**_** about what Beast just said. Is it possible that he cares about Naomé more than he lets anyone catch on to? No, it couldn't be…! He hasn't known her that long! How could something that intimate be possible in such a short amount of time? It's unheard of!**_

**Sora, meanwhile, was talking to Belle and Beast. He wanted to know everything that'd happened since his last visit. He knew about the spell, but he also knew there had to be more. **_**As far as I'm concerned, the more I know, the better. I just hope that what I'll learn will be enough…if this is where my destiny is supposed to start, then I might as well start on the right track. I owe Kingdom Hearts that much…**_


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The South Wing

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

The West Wing was the Beast's own personal chambers, which were usually unkempt and covered in filth, dust and cobwebs. Spiders were known to crawl about openly on the floor and walls, and several were of particularly noticeable sizes, and an occasional rat was seen muddling through.

Naomé shuddered as she leapt up onto the dresser at the sight of an abnormally large ashy gray rat, which was about the size of a cat. "Whoa!" She yelped. "That thing's _huge!_"

"Hm?" Beast asked, looking back over his shoulder. "Oh, him…don't mind him. That's my servant, Jacques. He won't hurt you. He just likes to stay in here and keep an eye on me. He even helps keep my chamber free of too many pests."

Sora was doubtful. "Wait…I thought your servants were turned into household objects like dressers and things? I know you have a footstool that's supposed to be your dog, but I didn't know that you had a _rat_ for a servant, as well! How'd that happen?"

For a rat, Jacques was surprisingly well groomed and clean. His rather scruffy appearance was somewhat toned down, and he obviously kept his fur in good trim. His eyes, a piercing, glistening dark brown, shone with an intelligent light, and he appeared to have a very cultured manner about him. This even reflected itself further in his voice, which was a reedy tenor. "It occurred to me many years ago that the enchantress's spell had somehow made a mistake, that I should've joined my other fellow servants in becoming a, as you so mildly put it, _household object._ But somehow, I was spared that fate. Who knows what made that happen?"

Roxas cocked his head to one side as if in thought. "Maybe the spell ran out of ideas?"

"Did it ever try thinking of the kitchen sink?" Sora mumbled.

_BONG!_ Naomé's tightly clenched fist came crashing down on Sora's unprotected head, nearly sending the Master of the Keyblade crashing down onto the ground. "Cretin!" She hissed. "Watch your mouth!"

Sora flinched but kept quiet.

Naomé turned back to Beast. "Sorry. Now, as you were saying?"

Belle understood. "Since Sora vanished, things became pretty bad around here. Maleficent showed up and re-opened the Seal Sora had created and let the Heartless back in. Then, this guy named…oh, I forgot what it was…"

"It couldn't have happened to have been _Xemnas_, now would it?" Roxas suggested.

"Yes! That was it! Thanks, Roxas! Well, anyway, Xemnas came around and brought those 'Nobody' things you were talking about. That's when things got _really_ bad. I'm surprised Beast has been able to sleep at all, he's been so busy protecting me!"

The Beast folded his arms across his barrel-like chest and scowled darkly, which became terrifying due to his facial features. "Belle, how am I to sleep when I know you're in danger?"

Sora gently butted in. "Uh, Beast? If I remember correctly, Belle is pretty capable of taking care of herself. I mean, do you remember Xaldin?"

Everyone flinched as the Beast snarled angrily. "Xaldin…! How could I forget him?"

"That's what I thought," Sora replied with a nervous smile. "Anyway, remember when Xaldin forced you to choose between Belle and the enchanted rose? Well, unless my memory fails me, Belle gave Xaldin a pretty good pounding in the gut."

Belle giggled. "I remember _that_ one! That was _so_ much fun!"

"Speaking of the rose, where is it?" Roxas asked.

"Oh, it's still here," The Beast replied gloomily. He nodded over towards a table set up by the open window leading to his own balcony. "See? Right where it's always been."

Sora gasped at the sight of it. "Oh, no! Almost all of the petals have fallen off!"

"Forgive my ignorance, but is that a bad thing?" Naomé inquired.

Roxas nodded. "Yes, it is. If the Beast can't learn how to love someone and then earn their love in return by the time the last petal falls off, he'll be doomed to remain a beast forever!"

"Well, it appears that he does not have much time left," KazeRyu remarked. "There are only three petals left."

"Oh, that's not good," Sore replied worriedly. But then he frowned irritably. "Great. We have to figure out what Beast needs to do to break the spell, figure out how to stop the Heartless and Nobodies, and find the Guardian to the Ring of the Heart before the last petal falls off? Perfect…just the kind of challenge I've always wanted…_not!_"

"What are we gonna do?" Roxas asked. "Where do we start?"

"Maybe there's a clue back in town," Naomé suggested. "You know, something we might've missed? We won't know unless we check."

Sora nodded. "True, Naomé. Roxas, why don't you head back to town and check up on that for us?" He glanced over at his friend. "You could certainly do it a lot better than I could."

Roxas was upset. "No! I wanna stay here! You've got two legs and a heartbeat. _You_ go!"

"Sora, what about the woods? And the wolves?" Naomé scolded the Master of the Keyblade. "Don't forget just how dangerous it is out there! Roxas could get lost!"

"Take KazeRyu with him," Sora replied. "The two of them could probably handle anything that gets thrown their way. They're more than capable of doing it."

"What about Naomé?" Roxas growled. "What're you gonna do with _her?_ Are you gonna send _her_ off somewhere, as well?"

Sora grinned. "No. She's gonna stay right here with me."

Roxas felt his blood boil. _That's not fair! _I_ wanna stay with her! Naomé's _my_ best friend! How come _I_ have to go do the legwork while Sora gets to lounge about here? Ooh, that dirty creep of a Keybearer! I'll get him yet!_

"Are you sure that's wise?" Naomé questioned her friend. "After all, I don't have a Keyblade. I only have my wits and my fists, and that's about it."

"Well, didn't you have that before you learned how to use my Keyblade?" Sora asked.

Naomé scowled. "Uh, excuse me? I _don't_ know how to use your Keyblade!"

Sora grinned again. "No, but while you're with me I can show you how. That's the whole purpose of keeping you here. While we search Beast's castle for clues, I can show you how to use the Keyblade better."

Roxas frowned. "Uh, Sora? Bribing Naomé with her own powers is pretty dumb."

"Who asked you?" Sora shot back, glaring over his shoulder. "And besides which, didn't I tell you to head back to town and find out clues about how to break that damned spell?"

Scowling, Roxas pulled a nasty face in Sora's direction, one that was so horrifyingly hideous for his features that it nearly made Naomé faint dead away in terror. He started towards Sora to give him a piece of his mind, when KazeRyu stepped in and pushed Roxas back with an arm across the chest. When the wielder of the KeyStaff glowered in his direction, the celestial werewolf returned it with an icy glare of his own. The words were perfectly clear: _this isn't the time for petty arguments._

Unfortunately, Roxas was forced to resign himself to the fact that Sora had won this round. _I can always duke it out with him after we Seal Kingdom Hearts, anyway…that might be a while, but I'm willing to bet that it would get pretty nasty, too…I'd probably have a lot of bones to pick with Sora Kasasagi by that point…a whole skeleton's worth, the way he's going with me…_ Grinding his teeth, he turned on his heels and headed towards the doorway to the Beast's chamber. If things were to be done the right way so that there was _no way_ for the Darkness to come back, then he had to start as soon as possible.

_The Next Morning_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Grand Library_

Naomé woke the following morning on the floor of the library. She sat bolt upright, eyes roving over the multi-floored chamber and marveling at the tens of thousands of books that must've been there. _How did I get here? Wait…I couldn't sleep last night…I knew Belle had said that she always read a good book when she couldn't sleep, so I decided to try it out…hmmm…it works pretty good, obviously…_

Her hand touched the book she'd been reading. Glancing at it, she pulled it back towards her, picked it up, and began studying it again. She felt something in her memory _click_ as she flipped through the pages. _Hold on a second! I thought that there was something in this book that might've been a clue! Now, where did I see it…?_

"Oh, _there_ you are, Naomé! I've been looking all over for you!"

Startled, Naomé looked up. Sora was walking into the library. Jacques the rat was perched lightly on his shoulder. "Good morning, Sora. Sleep well?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, I did. What are you doing here in the library?" He gave her a puzzled look. "And why are you sitting on the floor? There're plenty of chairs in here!"

"I fell asleep in here last night, Sora."

"Fell asleep? Why'd you do that?"

Jacques spoke up on Naomé's behalf. "Perhaps Lady Naomé couldn't sleep, Master Sora. After all, the castle has been known to have strange noises creeping about since the spell was first cast many years ago. It's as if the castle has become magically haunted!"

Naomé was intrigued. "Really? Jacques, do you, to your knowledge, know where the most 'haunting' supposedly takes place?"

"Indeed I do. It is in the South Wing. Why do you ask?"

Sora, too, was curious. "Why'd you ask that, Naomé?"

Hopeful, Naomé stood up off the floor and pointed to the book she was carrying. "Supposedly, this book that I found last night holds the journaling of the castle's construction. Now, when I came across it, it was lying on the table over in the corner there, but this," She said, holding up a black feather, "was marking the pages I'm reading right now. The book told me something about an old secret chamber that was hidden somewhere in the South Wing, and I thought that maybe you might know where that is."

Jacques shook his head. "No one goes in the South Wing, not even the Master. For some reason, it is said that there is a monstrous thing made of shadows roaming the halls of it. It comes within a few feet of the hall where the East and South passages meet, but it never crosses over."

Naomé locked eyes with Sora. "_A thing made of shadows?_" She echoed, her eyebrows raising in piqued curiosity.

"It must be a Heartless," Sora deduced. He whirled on Jacques. "Jacques, can you take us to the South Wing? That shadow is obviously guarding something if all it's doing is walking around those few halls instead of the entire castle. It might be protecting the clues that can answer our questions about how to break the spell on the Beast! We've got to try!"

The rat servant nodded determinedly as he jumped off of Sora's shoulder and to the floor. "I understand. Follow me."

"Bring the book and feather along, Naomé," Sora told her. "They might be clues, too."

Naomé tucked the feather back in its rightful place, closed the book, and took off after the Master of the Keyblade and Jacques. _I hope our searching the South Wing and braving whatever dangers lie within is worth our trouble…Beast is counting on us to make good of every second the dying rose grants us…_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

The South Wing was indeed a spooky, haunted place. The very entrance to it was up a flight of dark, cold marble steps, and appeared to be the wing to an entirely different castle. It was as if it didn't belong there at all!

Sora glanced back over his shoulder at Naomé, who'd become the impromptu guide in the matter. "Naomé, what does that book say about the South Wing?"

Naomé rolled her eyes. She'd read the passage to Sora only a few minutes ago! Sighing, she re-opened the book, found the proper paragraph, and began reading: "_The South Wing was the only remnant of the Old Verain Castle after it had been gutted out by a cataclysmic fire. In order to preserve it, the rest of the castle was built around it, turning what was once the entire South Wing itself into the center of it instead._ Basically, Roslyn Castle was once called Verain Castle, and the old castle became the foundation for the new one."

"Hmph. Okay…" Sora looked up at the top of the stairs, eyes narrowing as he scanned the misty air above him. The sunlight from outside shone in through aged glass windows, hitting the strange fog and making the chamber fill with spooky soft light. _It's hard to think a Heartless, who loves nothing more than the darkness of the Darkness, would find itself perfectly comfortable in a place that had so much light coming into it…wait a minute! What in the name of Kingdom Hearts is _that?

Grabbing Naomé, Sora yanked her down to the floor with him, promptly hiding them behind the wide marble pedestal that made the bottom of the left staircase banister. "Naomé, duck! Quick!"

_THUNK!_ "Ow! Blast it!" Naomé snarled. Sora had pulled her down so fast that she hadn't been able to pull her face out of the way of the column, and she'd promptly smashed her nose into it. She fell to her knees, cursing horribly as the fingers of her left hand applied pressure in case the event of a nosebleed should occur. "Sora, you _brainless brat!_" She spat viciously at him. "That hurt, by thunder! What in the _heck_ did you do that for?"

"Shhh!" Sora replied, putting his hand over her mouth. "I thought I saw something move," He whispered. He jerked his head up towards the staircase. "I think it was up there…"

Jacques went white as a ghost underneath his fur. "It's the shadow monster!"

Ignoring the pain in her nose, Naomé looked towards the second floor. She felt her blood turn to ice in her veins when she caught a glimpse of the creature. The thing was at least as tall as the Beast was, garbed similarly to him, and even snarled like he did. However, it lacked any solid outlines, instead formed from a shimmering visage of inky blue-black darkness that emanated with a deep azure aura. The only things that gave it any signs of being alive were a pair of gleaming all-amber eyes beneath "hooded" brows and an occasional puff of "smoke" from its blood-red mouth, which also allowed a growl to sporadically come out.

The shadow, down on all fours, reared its head back and gave the air a tentative sniff, as though trying to detect its stalkers. Then, somehow satisfied that its frightful presence had managed to scare anyone off, it turned on its heels and sauntered out of sight, its low growls echoing back like distant thunder.

Sora's jaw had gone slack at the sight of the monster, and now he was aware that he was drooling on his arm. Horrified and disgusted, he promptly shut his mouth and wiped his arm off on the back of his pants. "Dude…that thing was _huge!_"

Naomé wiped the back of her hand across her nose, checked for any signs of blood, and the imitated Sora's maneuver with her hand and her pants. "Well, I have to admit, that was rather interesting. I'll agree that it was huge, and that it was obviously some type of Heartless, but other than that I wouldn't even begin to dare a guess on its identity."

"Yeah, and I'm going to venture a guess and say that we need to _run_ from this thing, find out what it is, and _then_ come back!" Sora replied, leaping to his feet and heading in the other direction, summoning and keeping his Keyblade slung over his shoulder.

"Coward!" Naomé shot after him.

"A warrior who fights then runs away lives to fight another day!" Sora fired back. "Besides, until we're sure what it is, I'm not going after it! That might be a Heartless, but I'm willing to bet it's something much worse!"

Jacques, too, went running as fast as his feet could carry him, his smaller size making him catch up to Sora in no time at all. His whip-like tail zigzagged back and forth like a lightning bolt as he vanished from sight. _I am usually a valiant man, but in this case, where I have not a sword nor armor to protect me, my best and only defense is to run from such a foul creature! Master Sora is right…this monstrosity could be far worse than even someone like he can face on scant knowledge!_

Naomé snorted at the Master of the Keyblade's back as he skidded around a corner and disappeared totally from the proximity of the South Wing. _Cowardly bastard,_ She thought, turning her gaze back up to the stairs. _I wonder what's up there? The book keeps telling me about something hiding within a secret chamber in the South Wing…I'm beginning to wonder if that "shadow" of the Beast is guarding that passageway. And, why else would it? To protect the Keyhole and the Guardian of the Heart of this World from coming into our hands, of course! I don't care if Sora's going to bail out on me or not, but I'm not just going to walk away from it! I don't care what stands in my way, I _will_ find that secret passage and what it contains! And I'll use the book as my only map, too! I don't need anyone else "protecting me…" I can take care of myself, Keyblade or no!_

Determined, Naomé began to mount the steps. She could hear the brittle material that'd once formed the regal runner crackle softly beneath her feet as she placed her weight against it. The chill from the misty air above her made goose bumps form on her skin. A chill of primal fear ran up and down her spine as she took the final step and entered the mouth to the South Wing.

The entire world about her was now a jumbled mess of decay and filth, dust and stone, sunlight and shadows. Remnants from when the old castle had been gutted out by fire appeared to lay smoldering in the eerie light of the swirling golden dust motes, the dust itself making it look like the debris was still burning after all of these years. Vines creeped and danced their way across the floor amid the mess of tangled wreckage, crawling up the walls like spiders, wrapping around columns and pedestals, even choking their way through the cracks and fragments of smoked glass that'd been tinged a muddy gray from rain striking the soot.

_Geez, talk about the "Secret Garden!"_ Naomé thought as she stepped over an especially thick root. _Who am I supposed to be? Mary Lennox? And is this book I hold the secret key to the door? And what of this feather? Is this the feather of my "robin?" Hmmm…I think I need to get my head out of my books a little bit more often…_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Grand Library_

Sora didn't stop running until he reached the Grand Library, which was all the way on the other side of the castle. He skidded to a halt in the entryway and found himself staring out the gigantic bay windows and into a brilliant early spring morning. Yes, the castle grounds still appeared dull and forbidding, but they didn't seem to be as much.

"Phew!" He said, disengaging his Keyblade. "Thank the gods _that's_ over with!" He smiled, stood up, brushed his hair out of his eyes, and laughed. "Now, about finding out what this monster is…Naomé, do you have any idea where we should start?"

There was no answer.

"Naomé? Are you paying attention to me?"

Still silence.

Irritated, Sora let his ire loose. "Look, Naomé, I know that you wanted to go up there and find that passage, but there was simply _no way_ that I was going to without-"

He swirled on his heels and gasped. Naomé simply wasn't there!

"Oh, no! Naomé!" Sora groaned in despair. "You stayed there, didn't you? Curses! You've probably gone into the South Wing by now! Oh, man…! If Roxas ever finds out about this, he's gonna _kill me!_ I promised him I'd watch out for his best friend, and _now_ look at what I've done! Blast it! Naomé, why didn't you listen to me?"

Outraged, worried, and frustrated, Sora Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade, lunged back over Jacques the rat and flew back down the corridors of the castle, memory racing as fast as he was as he tried to remember where he needed to turn so as not to get lost. _Hang on, Naomé…! I'm coming back!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

Naomé, on the other hand, wasn't too concerned with the fact that she was alone. In fact, she'd found it rather comforting at that particular moment. _I've had a little too much "groupie" time since I came to Kingdom Hearts…I need some time for myself, for a change…after all, sometimes you can think better when you're alone…_

She'd learned early on the book wouldn't be much help in the case of finding the secret passage. Obviously, someone had intended it to remain secret to even the Verain family, as there wasn't a single iota of information contained within the pages of the text as to where to begin looking. _But, if that were true, then wouldn't it be kept from the servants, as well? And if _that_ were true, then how would Jacques know about it? Unless…he's actually discovered it! That yellow-bellied little vermin! He ran all because he saw a shadow! Forget man or mouse! He's just a plain rat!_

"I can see you're alone. You're a pretty brave one for tackling a haunted castle like this without any means of protection. I admire you for your courage."

Naomé swirled on her heels. "Who goes there?"

A deep blue robe materialized from out of the shadows of a nearby alcove. "Here I am. Don't worry about me. I won't hurt you."

The Second Keybearer automatically recognized the robes. "You're a part of the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army, aren't you? I can tell by the color of your outfit. Xalinia wore the exact same color back in Twilight Town."

"So, you _did_ meet Xalinia," The robed figure replied. "I recall her relating her tale of meeting the Master of the Keyblade and a couple of his friends back there. I take it that you must be one of them?"

"And what if I am?" Naomé asked cautiously.

"Don't sound so skeptical. I won't harm you, even if you aren't an ally of the Master's."

Naomé lowered her guard a fraction. "Well, today must be my lucky day. I am, in fact, an ally of Sora's. My name's Naomé Windom. And what might yours be?"

"You can call me Xoras. Everyone else does."

"Xoras, huh? Xalinia said you're the leader of the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army, and that you and Sora know each other well."

Somehow Naomé could sense Xoras's smile beneath his hood. "We do, though the Master might not recall me so well. We haven't seen each other for over ten years. I'm glad to see he's free and setting Kingdom Hearts back to the way it's supposed to be. Who knows? Maybe this time he can go home at last and live out a relatively normal life."

Naomé readily agreed. "He's been talking a lot about that. I don't blame him, either…eleven years fighting a war that seems to always turn the tables on you isn't exactly fun and fair. If I were him, I'd have been sick and tired of this whole charade ten years ago! Let's hope this time that the Rings of the Heart can get him there!"

Xoras nodded. "So, Xalinia told you about the Rings, did she? Did you manage to find Twilight Town's Guardian?"

"No," Naomé replied. "But I'm not giving up! Sora will find them eventually!"

"You're quite the optimist," Xoras commented. "So, Naomé, do you believe that the Ring to the Heart of this World lies somewhere within this old castle? I mean, obviously some type of Heartless is guarding it, so there _must_ be something important in this area. What do you think?"

Amazingly, Naomé found herself drawn to Xoras. He appeared to be interested in helping Sora out just as much as Xalinia had told her he would be, but he seemed to be even more so than expected. _He's willing to trust me quite readily…he must've been following Sora and I since we got here! That must be why he trusts me so easily! Well, since Sora's not here to help me out, then I'm going to trust Xoras on this one._ "It's a distinct possibility that the Ring, or a clue leading _to_ the Ring, is kept somewhere within this old section of the castle. I thought that this book I have might be of help, but it hasn't proven to be of any use."

Xoras noticed the black feather acting as a bookmark. "Where did you find that feather?"

"Hm?" Naomé glanced down at the book. "Oh, _that._ That feather was marking the same pages it is right now. Why? Do you know something about it?"

"That is a feather from the raven familiar of Maleficent, ruler of the Infiltrators," Xoras explained. "I would be careful of that book, if I were you. You might never know what sort of tricks or booby-traps it might contain within it."

Naomé dropped the book as though she'd been holding an adder. "Yikes! Thanks for telling me! Sora told me about Maleficent. I don't want her bothering him any more than absolutely necessary! Get this blasted thing away from me!"

"My absolute pleasure," Xoras relied as he knelt and picked up the book. He turned it over and over in his gloved hands, as though pondering something. "Hmmm…interesting…this book appears to be perfectly normal…unless…" He carefully placed his hand flat against the front cover, muttered some mystic enchantment, and then pulled his hand away to reveal that his "handprint" had turned into an inky stain on the dark blue coverings.

Naomé gasped as the feather that had marked her place in the aged textbook glowed a dull bluish-white before the book disintegrated into a pile of oily blue-black goop that slid through Xoras's fingers and to the floor. As the inky substance spread out into a thin layer of liquid on the tiles, a tiny, shining object remained in the middle of the messy stain, a small fragment of it catching the fading sunlight and sparkling like a tiny diamond.

"Eeyuck!" Naomé grunted, grimacing. "What in the name of Kingdom Hearts was–"

"A secret scrying device," Xoras responded, picking up a crystal shard that made Naomé think of rose quartz. "This crystal was created from an alchemy potion that created the crystal ball that tops Maleficent's staff. She was using the book as a scrying device to track movements within the castle. It looks like she hasn't activated it recently, but just to be safe…" He turned and flung his left arm like a slingshot, sending the shard screaming through a hole in the glass and out into the moat below. "There! Now she can't see what's going on. The Master is safe…for now."

Oddly, Naomé felt her heartbeat return to normal. _Sora won't have to worry about being spied on for a little bit…however, what was that spell Xoras said so I can make sure that he doesn't get spied on anymore? We need to move as secretly as possible…we have to!_

"You're determined to find whatever that thing is guarding, aren't you?" Xoras asked upon seeing Naomé's determined expression.

"You're darned right I do," Naomé growled. "Sora is my friend…I don't want him to end up like he did the last time! No way!"

Xoras was impressed. "Well, how about I help you? I, too, want to see the Master safe. Let us work together, hm? We might be able to accomplish more that way. What do you say?"

Naomé nodded wordlessly in agreement.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Hall_

Sora raced along as fast as his legs could carry him, his worries about Naomé and how Roxas was going to kill him putting even more power to his already hectic speed. Taking corners left and right with such a furious speed that dropped him almost face-first onto the ground, he fought to control himself as he neared the South Wing.

Suddenly, a group of Shadows sprung up. Snarling his disgust, Sora rushed them, Summoning his Keyblade and zigzagging along the ground in a speed-demon crouch, his shoes almost gliding across the polished surface of the stone floor. His Heartless foes were no match for his honed battle skills, and he was almost instantly on his way again.

_I don't have any choice…whatever this Heartless thing is, I'm going to have to face it…and destroy it! I can't let it keep hanging around and threatening all of the good I'm trying to do by being here! Here I come, Naomé…I won't be long now!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

The South Wing was being thoroughly combed. Xoras and Naomé were leaving no stone unturned, no pillow unshaken, no blanket turned down, not even a single fireplace unveiled.

"You think you'd find something by now," Naomé grunted as she put a vase that was almost as big as she was back into its rightful place in the bedroom she was currently in. "Phew! Where's KazeRyu when you need him?"

Xoras walked out of the closet and shut the door behind him. "Nope, there's nothing in there. Speaking of that wolf-man, I noticed that he'd never told you about meeting me, did he? If he had, then you would've known who I was before Xalinia said anything about me."

"He met you?" Naomé asked, amazed. "Where did you two meet?"

"In Hollow Bastion, just outside of Ansem's Castle. Why?"

"Nothing. I was just curious."

Xoras's voice sounded concerned. "Why? Do you still not trust me? I said you could, Naomé. Just because you don't see my face doesn't mean that I am untrustworthy."

Naomé grunted, both from exerting her strength to lift a heavy lid on a chest at the front of the bed and at Xoras's remark. "Let me tell you something, Xoras. Where I come from, people that cover and hide their faces aren't to be trusted. In fact, they are to be avoided as much as possible. You cannot begin to comprehend just how difficult it is for me to ignore my instincts and entrust a total stranger with my life."

"You did with the Master."

Naomé closed the chest, her search of it yielding nothing conductive to her searching. "Sora earned my trust by trusting me first. I have never had anyone except for my mother trust me so greatly with his or her life, and I know it was difficult for Sora to trust someone he didn't even know to save him. Why, if he hadn't trusted me, he still would've been asleep in that crystal back in Ansem's Castle!"

Xoras sounded impressed. "The Master has a noble and just heart. When that heart tells him to trust someone, he does. Of course, now that he's been burned so many times, it must be extremely difficult for him to trust anyone at all, but he's obviously making an effort to try and overcome his hesitation. Tell me, Naomé…how _did_ you free the Master, anyhow? I heard that that crystal could not be broken."

"You're right. It couldn't. Not by normal means, anyway."

"Then how did you succeed in freeing the master? I heard that not even the Keyblade could penetrate the crystal's surface."

"It couldn't. I was always repelled. I did, however, find a way to bypass it. You see, the Keyblade shares a powerful bond with Sora, and so it refused to attack its master's heart for fear of destroying him. The only way to free him was with the Keyblade, but he had to will it to attack and free him."

"Wait a minute. The Master was locked in a magically induced comatose state. How could he _will_ the Keyblade to do anything?"

"Because of the connection, Sora's soul could command his weapon to strike him. However, as you said, Sora's mind was virtually unconscious, as well, so it would seem that it would be impossible to free him. I, however, found a way to bypass that."

"You did? How?"

"If I tell you, you have to keep it a secret. I don't need this information that I'm about to tell you get into the wrong hands. If it does, then it could spell danger for Sora, our allies and myself. I couldn't betray those who are willing to call me 'friend' so quickly. To do so would be a gross injustice towards them, and I could never do such a terrible deed."

Xoras was even further impressed by Naomé's honorable intentions. "It appears to me that you and the Master are very much alike. The Master I remember would say almost those exact same words. Very well, Naomé Windom. You have my word…on my honor."

Naomé nodded in grim satisfaction. "I was able to get around the spell's intent of blocking any attempts at helping Sora regain his freedom by using the special magical ability I possess. This ability, called '_emulation_,' is a powerful magic tool that allows me to 'emulate' any subject of my choosing. These powers allow me to draw out their full or partial power, granting me either a temporary boost in power or new 'identity' that I can use for a limited amount of time. I emulated Sora, focusing heavily on his heart and its desires for freedom and the chance to fulfill his destiny at last. With this power in my hands, I willed the Keyblade to attack the crystal as if I were Sora himself. Sora is now free and Kingdom Hearts is on the road to recovery."

Now Xoras seemed proud of Naomé, as again his voice changed. "That was rather clever of you, Naomé. The Master should be counting his blessings quite regularly from now on. He is very lucky to have such a clever friend to help him in his greatest hour of need. It surely appears that your powers could be just what the Master needs in his arsenal to finally be able to vanquish the Darkness. I hope he realizes that, for he is a terrible fool if he does not."

"I think he sees it pretty readily," Naomé replied. "I just wish he wouldn't be so overprotective of me. Yes, I understand I need to learn how to use the Keyblade should he be unable to, but-"

"Wait. _You_ need to learn how to use the Keyblade? Why is that necessary?"

"Promise to keep quiet?" Naomé growled sternly.

"Of course."

"The reason I came to Kingdom Hearts is because it's supposed to be my destiny. I am the Second Keybearer, the one who is supposed to take up Sora's Keyblade should he fall. I'm more of a 'back-up,' if you want to call me that, a 'back door' that no one knows about."

Xoras bowed his head in acknowledgement. "I understand. I won't say a word."

Naomé was about to reply when she heard a ferocious snarl. She felt the air around her become frigid in temperature, making a chill of both cold and primordial fear run up and down her spine. She stopped and immediately started scanning the area. Sora's almost supernaturally honed "sixth sense" was beginning to rub off on her. "I've heard that growl before…" She hissed.

"So have I," Xoras agreed, also starting to look about. "I know that chill, too…there's a Heartless in here…a _very powerful Heartless…_"

"I thought so," Naomé replied, stealthily walking over close to the fireplace and grabbing the poker. She wielded it before her like a Keyblade, both hands gripping it tightly. "I may not have a Keyblade, or Sora's skills with a Keyblade, or even his battle prowess against Heartless and Nobodies, but that doesn't mean I'm a fool and I can't fight." She glared up into the darkness of the high ceilings, snarling a menacing challenge under her breath. "Come and get me, you spawn of Darkness! I'm waiting for you!"

The snarl sounded again, and Naomé and Xoras turned towards the direction of it. When they looked up at the top of the room, they could just barely make out a deep azure aura. Two massively taloned front paws tipped with gleaming jet-black talons gouged into the pillar they were placed upon glinted like polished obsidian in the muted sunlight that was coming in through a clouded and curtained window. Two glowing amber orbs glared threateningly at them beneath thickly hooded brows, and the shadowy creature hissed their battle challenge at them with a mouth full of dark, ashen gray fangs.


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The "Shadow Stalker"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Hall_

Down at the stairs leading up to the South Wing, Sora heard the ferocious snarl of the monstrous creature that he'd seen only minutes ago. His heart leaped into his throat and then dropped into his shoes as he heard the creature roar again and Naomé's defiant yell from somewhere within the depths of the haunted wing.

Terrified at the thought of what the creature could do to the Second Keybearer and angered by his own previous show of cowardice, the Master of the Keyblade set his resolve and charged the stairs three at a time, finally taking the final steps in a great flying leap. He hit the ground running, sunlight flashing off of his Keyblade as he barreled down the hallway and towards the direction of the next set of steps that lead up towards Naomé's location.

_Naomé…! I'm almost there! Fight that thing for as long as you can…!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

Sora had no idea that Naomé was already taking that same thought to heart. Using the fire poker she'd grabbed as a makeshift sword, she hacked and slashed away at the strange Heartless to keep it at bay. _It's too close in here…we need to get out of this room and out into the open. If we can do that, then this thing won't have a chance!_

Xoras had taken up the coat hanger and cracked the beast a good hard blow on the back of the head. When it whirled on him and tried to attack, Xoras flipped his cloak up and out in a forceful twirl, temporarily catching the thing on the "face." When the Heartless took a stunned step backwards, Xoras gave it another whack with the coat hanger, making it drop to the ground in an unconscious heap of Darkness.

Naomé stared suspiciously at the creature. "That was too easy…Sora told me Heartless like this one are pretty strong, far stronger than this thing! Whatever this was, I don't think it was a Heartless."

"You've no time to speculate," Xoras cautioned, throwing the door to the room wide open. "We should get out of this chamber quickly. I didn't kill the creature, but merely stunned it long enough so we could escape. Hurry, Naomé! Let's go!"

Keeping one eye on the beast and the other on her escape route, Naomé took off after Xoras and into the corridors once more, running as hard as she could to get as much distance as possible between herself and her shadowy foe. As she ran, she realized she was running further _into_ the South Wing, making it more and more unlikely that she would get out of there alive. If she did, then she would consider herself extremely lucky.

The Master of the Keyblade tore his way through the hallways, blasting around corners at breakneck speeds, taking stairs in great bounds, even weaving his way around stone columns as wide as the trunk of a great oak without hardly slowing down. His Keyblade occasionally flicked out like a cheetah would use its tail, keeping him on balance as he attempted to chart a course through the haunted South Wing and find Naomé so he could get her back out into the safety of the remaining Wings of Beast's Castle.

_Naomé isn't safe in the South Wing…especially not by herself! It's bad enough that she doesn't have any Keyblade to take on that "Heartless" should it show up, but to be all alone and unable for me to reach her just in case that should happen? Completely out of the question! I can't let Naomé risk her life like this to help me go home! What would be the point if she can't go home herself? No matter what, if _I_ am to go home, _she_ has got to go home, too!_

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

"Roxas! Ryu! What are you doing here?"

Roxas gave Maurice a polite smile. "My friend Sora asked us to return here and stay with you for a bit. Belle, actually, was the one that asked us to return to you and watch out for your sake."

Maurice was overjoyed. "My Belle is alive? That means that you found the castle!"

KazeRyu gently laid his heavy hands on Maurice's elderly shoulders. He'd originally disliked being called "Ryu," but it seemed a little more…well…_Human._ At the moment, he had a more pressing matter on his mind…Maurice's protection. "We have found the castle, Maurice, but it would be best if you stayed here."

"Stay here? Why?"

"Because Gaston might follow you," Roxas explained.

"All the better that he does! He can go in there and get Belle out of that castle and out of that horrible beast's hands! I trusted him with getting Belle out of there!"

Roxas frowned and shook his head. "Maurice, do you remember that you said that you believed that the trail to the Beast's castle was hidden, that no one would be able to find it?"

Maurice's eyes went wide. "Yes. That means that you have found it? If you found the castle, then you have found the way! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Calm yourself down," KazeRyu said firmly, pushing Maurice back into his armchair. "You are staying right here. You do not know the Beast as well as my friends and I do. But, on the other hand, we do not know Gaston that well, so we are not one hundred percent certain of his intentions. He may want to do just more than marry Belle. Forgive me for saying this, but being in that hunter's presence made me feel uneasy, especially when I saw him look at you the other day. There was a look in his eyes that I did not find at all trustworthy. I have my suspicions that Gaston is just playing on your feelings because he wants to get to Belle through you."

Roxas gaped. "You suspect that Gaston's playing a game with people's emotions?"

KazeRyu nodded. "I do indeed. All he cares about is being the best and having the best. Now, obviously, Belle is perhaps the most beautiful woman in this village, which makes her the best. Hunters always strive for perfection…I myself am no exception to that rule. But Gaston takes the term of 'perfection' too far, almost to the point of sheer recklessness. He is so focused on having the 'perfect' world, which would include Belle in it, that he would do anything, even ruin another's life, just so he could have his way."

"But what does that have to do with Maurice?" Roxas yelped. "I understand Gaston might use us to track Belle down, but how is Maurice involved? He just wants his daughter to come home!"

"That is very true. That is why Maurice is an integral part of Gaston's plot for perfection. See, you saw Belle's reaction when Naomé extended Maurice's faraway greetings to her on his behalf. Also, you have seen at least twice now how Maurice reacts when we speak of Belle. Someone that is as keen as Gaston would detect that kind of bond almost instantly. Furthermore, I noticed something that happened in the tavern the other day. I know not if you saw it, Roxas, but the people that were there with us seemed to give Maurice some rather odd looks."

Maurice sighed. "It's no secret that I am considered the 'village idiot' around here."

"Okay, so you're what I've heard called an absentminded professor," Roxas said, shrugging. "Some people just don't understand what intelligence is. Some people are more intelligent than others, and it's those who can do something a little better or a little faster or understand something that others don't get that makes them targets. Just because someone knows how to use their brains a little bit better makes them 'odd' or 'weird.' I don't see you that way, Maurice. I think you're a brilliant man!"

KazeRyu squashed Maurice's pride in a heartbeat. "Roxas is true, but the other villagers do not see you that way. Your higher intellect, the same type of intellect that Belle obviously inherited, makes you stand out, and around here that can make you seen as a 'bumpkin' or 'dunderhead.' People are cruel towards one another…it is just their nature to single out someone who's different and beat them down to make themselves look better."

Roxas snorted. "Uh, Kaze, where I come from, someone like Maurice is referred to as a 'whack job.' You know, they're crazy!"

The look on KazeRyu's face was one of admiration. "Roxas! You just got it!"

"Got what?"

"What I was talking about. Gaston knows that the other villagers see Maurice as a crazy old man. So, he could use that to his advantage. Can you see how?"

Roxas thought hard. _How could Gaston use Maurice's apparent "insanity" to get his way? Wait a minute…Gaston wants to marry Belle…I learned a long time ago Belle had turned him down repeatedly, and that when he'd attempted to come up to the house and propose to her she tossed him out in front of the whole village! Now, if I were Gaston, I'd be pretty embarrassed, not to mention angry, and I'd want to do something to prove my point. Now…hold on a second…Belle has a tight bond with her father, and she obviously sticks up for him against the villagers because she knows he's not crazy, so that puts her at odds with everyone, too. Gaston knows Belle would do anything to protect her father…wait! That's it! _That's_ how Gaston's going to get his way! Maurice is in danger!_

Maurice noticed Roxas's expression change from confusion to shock and disbelief. "Roxas, what's wrong? Is everything all right?"

"No, Maurice. Everything's _not_ all right." Roxas snapped Belle's father a sharp glare. "In fact, I don't want you to leave this house."

"What?" KazeRyu barked. "What has gotten into you?"

"Gaston's going to use Maurice as a pawn," Roxas explained. "He knows that the villagers think that Maurice is a basket case, and that Belle would do anything, even sacrifice her life, to protect him. She already proved that by taking his place in the Beast's castle. Now, Maurice knows he isn't crazy-"

"I should say not!" Maurice blustered.

"Silence," KazeRyu said in soft rebuke. "Let Roxas finish, elder."

Roxas continued. "Belle told Sora and I once that Gaston had tried to come up to the house to propose to her, and he'd brought the entire village along to watch and hopefully celebrate their wedding. He was so confident that he was going to get her that he put the cart before the horse."

"Arrogant vermin," KazeRyu snorted. "No wonder Belle does not want him around."

"My point exactly. Gaston's the kind of man that won't take 'no' for an answer. In fact, the only games he likes to play are his own because he makes the rules! Gaston's desperate to have Belle as his wife, and he knows that she won't let anybody talk bad about her father. So, to get his way, he'll try and use Maurice and his _true_ story about the Beast as a weapon against Belle. He'll make her an offer, and I can almost tell you what it would be."

KazeRyu was doubly impressed; for someone who was only about one-hundredth of his age, Roxas's logic was uncannily sound. _Let us see what he has thought of…_ "All right, Roxas. What is Gaston's plan?"

"Simple, really. Use Belle's love for Maurice against her. Now, surely, somewhere, there's a place nearby where those who are crackpots, basket cases and all around psychopaths are held. You know, a mental facility? So, Gaston will use Maurice's words against him, paint him as an outright lunatic, and have him locked up. Of course, the only way for Belle to save her father is…"

"For Belle to accept Gaston's proposal," KazeRyu said, a knowing smile appearing on his muzzle. His pale eyes gleamed with pride. "Well done, Roxas. Your intuition serves you well."

Maurice was astounded. "Gaston will use me to take my daughter's hand in marriage?"

Roxas nodded. "Yes, Maurice, which is exactly why we need you to not leave the house. The moment you step outside, Gaston will have the psych ward on you immediately, and there won't be any way for us to save you. We couldn't get Belle back here fast enough to try and keep you from being carted off." The expression on his face was so serious that it mimicked KazeRyu's. "Furthermore, we know that she would never agree to marry Gaston, so the point would be point_less._ Right now, Maurice, Kaze and I are the only thing between you and Gaston. We are the only protection you have."

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

Naomé found herself wishing that she had her own protection to worry about. Her and Xoras had been separated by the mysterious Heartless, and she was now on the run for her life. Her "sword" had been cast away by a sweep of the creature's massive shadowy paw, leaving her defenseless.

_I _knew_ this was a bad idea…why did I do it, anyway? Oh, Naomé Meilin Windom, why don't you listen to your conscience once in a while? You _know_ that you don't know how to protect yourself against the Heartless! You don't have a Keyblade! And right now, you don't really have any type of weapon to protect yourself with! I know that my emulation powers aren't strong enough to protect me yet, so I can't rely on those, either! The Heartless won't fear me, for I am not a danger! That might be a good thing, but in the case of this monster, I don't know if that would make any difference! Naomé, you idiot! Why didn't you listen to Sora?_

Sora was wondering just what he'd gotten himself into!

The strange Heartless had suddenly shown up and had attempted to attack him. However, when he'd tried to attack back, the creature vanished, leaving him alone in the middle of the hallway he'd gone barreling down. He realized after that particular moment that he was completely lost, with all sense of direction lost to him. He could no longer discern true north.

The Master of the Keyblade cursed himself horribly as he tried to backtrack out to the main hall. _I might be too far away to ever go back to where I could even _begin_ to look for Naomé! And if I do, I'll probably be too late!_ He was about to vanish down another corridor when he suddenly heard a mysterious voice call out to him.

"Master!"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Hall_

Jacques had scampered off in the direction opposite of Sora's. He had a plan, one that hadn't been apparent to him until only moments before:

The Beast.

Being his master, the Beast would certainly wish to know that his friend, the wielder of the legendary Keyblade, was in danger. Yes, it had been obvious right from the start that Sora could take care of himself, but Jacques was more concerned about Naomé. She, unlike Sora, did _not_ have a weapon at her immediate disposal, at least not a visible one. Yes, she could improvise on a moment's thought, but what could she do against that hulking wielder of the Darkness that'd decided to take up residence in the South Wing? He knew instinctively that his master would certainly have reason to be concerned.

Dodging a Shadow that'd been patrolling the hallways, Jacques made his way towards the stairs to the West Wing. Without glancing back over his shoulder, Jacques did not realize that, unlike before, he hadn't been followed. The Heartless were leaving him alone for a change.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

_Naomé was right…the Master of the Keyblade has returned!_

Xoras was amazed at the sight that stood before him. Bewildered, lost, and frustrated, Sora Kasasagi hefted the Keyblade in a tight two-handed grip as he stared back at the hooded Xoras, blue eyes gleaming with intense battle light beneath medium brown bangs. It appeared that Sora was ready to lunge and strike at any given moment.

Sora eyed his robed "visitor" suspiciously. "Who are you?" He hissed.

"Take it easy," Xoras replied carefully. "You've already met my comrade, Xalinia. Do you remember the name of her commanding officer?"

That's when Sora's memory began to click. He traced his steps back in time, back to when he'd met Xalinia in Twilight Town. What had she said her commander's name was…? His conversation with her in that storm-ridden town, Roxas's decimated home, came echoing back from the recesses of his mind.

_Xalinia, who is your commanding officer? The one that said I was a dear friend to him?_

_His name is Xoras…he considers you with very high regards, Master of the Keyblade. When the time is right, you'll be able to keep in close contact with him. Until then, you probably won't see very much of him. Xoras tends to stay pretty well hidden. I guess it's because of his exposure to the forces of Darkness. They had a pretty bad effect on him…_

Sora turned his gaze from inside his mind to the world around him. "Xoras, I presume?"

Xoras smiled. "Your memory serves you well. I'm sure that those memories that existed before your imprisonment are still somewhat foggy, but have no fear. I am sure that they will clear up in time. As for myself, I am the one that you learned of. I am Xoras."

"Oho," Sora said, becoming a little more relaxed. "Xalinia told me I might not see much of you. I didn't expect you to appear so soon." _Why do I feel like I can trust him? Does he remind me of Riku…? Well, after all, he _does_ kind of sound like him…maybe I'm just imagining things…Xoras is right…my memories from before I was trapped in that crystal are still a little blurry…I just hope they clear up like he said they would…I need those memories…they're my map of Kingdom Hearts…they're my way home…_

"I figured you needed to at least know that I am here to assist you in your fulfilling your destiny," Xoras replied, bowing from the waist up. "My friends and I of the Kingdom Hearts Liberation Army are dedicated to your cause of freeing Kingdom Hearts. In fact, one of our missions is to see that you are finally able to return home."

This made Sora knit his brows in confusion. "Why are you so determined to help me? What have I done to get the attention of you and your friends? I mean, I don't even _know_ you guys! Why would you want to help me out?"

Xoras response was almost too simplistic. "You have fought to free Kingdom Hearts for many years, Master of the Keyblade. It is high time that you return home and to the life you were forced to leave behind."

Sora shrugged. "Thanks for your help, but I'm not going to go home until I find-"

"Your friends Riku Shadowstar and Kairi Solestra, I believe?"

Sora gaped. "You _know_ about them?" But then he became angry. "What have you done to them? You'd better not have hurt them!"

Xoras held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "No, we have not. However, we have as of yet been unable to find them. We are still searching, but nothing as of yet."

"So am I," Sora replied. "I hope that I can find them soon, though…"

"I hope you do, my Master," Xoras said, praise apparent in his voice. "I also hope that they know how lucky they are to have a friend like you." He did, however, notice Sora's worried expression. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, there is," Sora said. "Right now, I am looking for another one of my friends, the one responsible for getting me out of that crystal."

"You mean Naomé Windom?"

Sora gaped again. "You _know her?_"

Xoras shrugged like Sora had. "Not know her, but just met her. She is here in the South Wing. Unfortunately, we got separated after that shadowy beast attacked us, but I thought I heard you enter, so I figured that I would introduce myself before we went looking for her."

The Master of the Keyblade could hardly believe his ears. "You wanted to deal with pleasantries while that _thing_ is probably tearing my friend limb from limb by now?" He screamed. "Where in the name of Kingdom Hearts is your sense of priorities, you idiot?"

Xoras looked at Sora. "My priorities are fine, Master of the Keyblade. I just felt it necessary for you to know who I was before I told you that I was going to help you find Naomé and stop that creature…that is, if you _want_ me to help you."

_What other choice do I have?_ Sora told himself. _Xoras must be some kind of a warrior, too. Xalinia was…oh, well…either way, Xoras can help me…I'm going to have to trust him…_

Naomé was running as hard as she could, the shadowy creature hard on her heels. She had tried every trick she knew to jump and dodge the thing, but it seemed locked onto her movements, and it was always in time with her multiple attempts at escape. There was obviously no way for her to shake this thing off of her trail.

"Blasphemies!" Naomé cursed as she deftly leapt over a "net" of vines that'd threatened to tangle her legs up. Hoping that she'd found a way to trip up her foe, she glanced back over her shoulder, only to watch in dismay as her enemy attacked the vines with its jet-black talons. The momentary slowing, however, had allowed her to the chance to open the distance between herself and her stalker, granting her the time she needed to swerve around the corner at the end of the hall and out of the creature's sight.

Furious with itself for letting its prey escape, the monster let out a frustrated howl of fury as it began to take off after Naomé once more, who had now doubled the distance that'd once been only several feet to now the length of at least half of any given one of the twisting hallways. No matter…it would find her sooner or later…

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

"Master!"

Beast glanced up from his silent vigil of the enchanted rose. Had he just heard Jacques's voice? He swirled around, wild blue eyes glancing about in the shadows for his friend. "Jacques? Where are you?"

"Here, Master," Jacques replied dutifully as he leaped up onto the table and next to the crystal "chamber" the rose was kept in. His eyes were wide with fear as he spoke in a quavering tenor to the Beast. "Master, you must come quickly! Master Sora and Lady Naomé are trapped within the South Wing!"

"The South Wing?" Beast asked in confusion. "What are they doing there?"

Jacques quickly explained. "Lady Naomé found a book in the library earlier this morning that had some information about the South Wing in it. She was hoping that she could maybe find something hidden somewhere that could give us a clue to help us all regain our Humanity…especially you, Master!"

"But," Beast growled. "Why are they, as you said, 'trapped?'"

"There's a monstrous creature…one of those 'Heartless,' Lady Naomé believes…that's protecting the halls of the South Wing. Lady Naomé ignored Sora's orders for her to follow him back to the Library, instead taking it upon herself to head into the interior of the old wing without any means of protection so she could confirm her suspicions that the creature was guarding something!"

"And as for Sora?"

"He went back into the South Wing after he discovered Lady Naomé's absence. He's gone in there to save her, and I haven't seen him return as of yet! Oh, Master, please! Please make haste and help them! You're the only one that can!"

Beast needed no second bidding. Sora was a good friend of his, and for him to stand by and let him die was unforgivable. He also realized that Naomé was just as important a person as Sora was, and since she was virtually "defenseless" left her prone to attack even more than the Master of the Keyblade. He leaped over a broken chair in mid spin, his wide back paws taking off at a dead run as he struck the stone floor of his chamber. He flung the door open the rest of the way with a wild sweep of his paw and took off down the corridors like a thing possessed, blue eyes gleaming with beast-like ferocity as he fairly flew towards the South Wing. His mind was in such a state of overdrive that he hadn't even stopped to notice that one of the three remaining petals on the wilting rose let go and fluttered to the tabletop.

But Jacques did.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

Meanwhile, Naomé Windom was running out of places to hide. She'd covered over half of the South Wing in her attempts to flee her "shadow stalker" with little success, and had just managed to (hopefully) lose the thing in its own environment. She hadn't taken any chances, however, when she'd taken hold of one of the old wrought iron curtain rods and was now wielding it as she had done with the candelabra down in the Grand Foyer only yesterday. But this time, she realized with a pang of regret and fear, she _didn't_ have Roxas's powers to snare in her emulation powers, leaving her forced to have to wing it. She had, however, thought she'd heard noise downstairs…the sound of Sora's Keyblade locked in combat with Heartless.

_Did I hear Sora entering the South Wing earlier? No…he was too chicken…unless, maybe he came back in to find me! After all, hadn't I heard him promise Roxas that he would watch out for me? If he chickened out and I went into the South Wing alone, then that means that he would've been breaking his promise! If he _is_ in the South Wing, he's doing so to save face for himself by saving me! Yeah, that's _really_ immature, but to each his own, I guess…hello! What have we here?_

Naomé had just discovered a passageway that she hadn't detected before, which was odd, as she'd just managed to circle the third floor at least three times over. But, unlike the other passages, this one seemed enshrouded in mists and, oddly, _appeared to be like a hallway would were it at night!_ Naomé was reminded of the spooky forest outside of the castle gates as she carefully entered the mysterious passage and vanished into the mists. This could be the opportunity to escape her foe, but at what cost? Could this chamber actually lead to _outside_ of the castle gates instead of back into the South Wing, back into the forest with those man-eating wolves?

She didn't have time to think. She had to get out of there, and fast.

"Curses! I lost him!"

Sora cursed horribly as he smashed the head of his Keyblade against the wall. Not only had he lost contact with Xoras, but the mysterious Heartless-like creature had vanished from his sights, as well! He growled angrily in a perfect imitation of Beast's furious snarl, fury at his losing his target and possibly putting his friend and fellow Keybearer in more danger making his body tense up. Swinging the Keyblade irritably back over his shoulder, Sora grumpily trudged his way towards the stairs to the third floor. He shuddered as he felt the icy chill of frigid air, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously when he noticed the rolling mists.

_Hmmm…I didn't notice _that_ before…I wonder where that leads?_

Making sure he wasn't being followed, Sora rapidly ascended the staircase and disappeared into the smoky fog, realizing that he was mysteriously entering a world where nighttime reigned. Looking back over his shoulder, he noticed that the second and first floors were filled with sunlight, while this one and the ones above were shrouded in evening mists. As he took to the hallways themselves, one single thought passed through his mind.

_What's going on…?_

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

Back in the village, Roxas and KazeRyu discovered that Maurice had vanished shortly after the lunchtime hour. They dared not travel down to the village, as things might get complicated, but had instead torn the house apart from floor to floor and from roofing tile to foundation stone. Even the stable where Philippe was supposed to have been (and he was not) and the basement-cum-"laboratory" were thoroughly combed with little success.

KazeRyu, however, had made an interesting discovery: Maurice's bedroom was torn apart, his dresser drawers scattered and unkempt, clothes all over the bed and floor and the lantern that was usually used as a "night light" was missing. Most importantly, his hat, scarf, shoes and gloves were gone, as well. The absence of the lantern was the biggest hint as to where Maurice had gone.

Roxas groaned in agony and smacked a hand to his eyes. "Oh, for the love of Kingdom Hearts! He's gone after Belle! Kaze, we've _got_ to go after him!"

"Not right now, we do not!" KazeRyu warned, slamming his furred hand over Roxas's mouth. He yanked his Human friend out of Maurice's window and dragged him up onto the roof, whereupon the promptly heard noises coming from inside the house.

"Belle? Maurice?"

"It's Gaston!" Roxas hissed. "What's _he_ doing here?"

"_Shhh!_" His wolfish friend replied with a furred finger to his muzzle. "Let us find out! Come! Over the top of the roof! We can see perfectly to the ground down below without being detected! Hurry!"

Roxas and KazeRyu slowly clawed their way up to the rooftop, where they were able to get a perfect view of the front yard. They saw a tall, thin, elderly man with pasty skin, serpentine-like eyes and a hawk-like nose dressed in dark brown clothing standing on the doorstep, watching as Gaston and his right hand man, a squat, bulbous-nosed henchman named Lefou, ransacked the house in an attempt to locate Belle, Maurice, or both of them. Sitting out close by the outermost edge of the house was a rickety old version of an ice wagon with faded letters that could hardly be recognized in the dim twilight.

"Can you see what the lettering says?" Roxas whispered in KazeRyu's ear. "You're sight is a lot sharper in the dark than mine is. I can make something out, but it's really hard to read. Are you having any better luck?"

KazeRyu frowned. "Not quite. The cart is turned in such a way that the light from the lanterns on either side of the door is just dim enough so that it does not go all the way around. I can make out some of the letters, but just barely. We will have to wait and see what is going on."

Frowning, Roxas tried to squirm over the top just enough to see a little better. One of the tiles slipped from beneath his hands, and he began to slide down the roof! Biting his tongue to keep from yelping, Roxas barely caught the tile with his fingers and managed to catch his toes on the topmost row of tiles that capped the top seam of the roof, leaving him barely clinging on. He glanced back over his shoulder at KazeRyu and grinned sheepishly. "Phew! That was close!"

"Roxas, you fool!" KazeRyu cursed under his breath as he buried his face in his paws. "What were you thinking?"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing_

Beast roared like a raging storm as he blasted into the South Wing like a hurricane. A throng of Heartless that'd patrolled the main entryway were sent scrambling for their lives as he scattered them like splatters of dark mud from a rain puddle. He flashed out with talons and fangs as he fought tooth and nail for the first hallway in the long-since unused portion of his castle.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a massive shadow that as big as he was came thundering from down the hallway. It came to a screeching halt until it was only several feet away from him, amber eyes gleaming with anger. It roared in fury at the Beast, baring its shadowy fangs and blood-red mouth in a feral challenge. Snarling, it scratched at the floor with its ebony claws, leaving stark white marks in the granite "tiles."

The Beast's brows knitted in anger. "So, _you're_ the one that's been haunting my castle! Well, no more! You have stayed here too long, Heartless…leave my castle…_now!_"

His roar was like the crack of a whip. In a flash he and the Heartless "beast" were locked in mortal combat, talons and fangs ripping and tearing at each other. Now they would fight for who would be the "king" of the "beasts."


	21. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 19**_

_**The Clue in the Secret Garden**_

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Royal Gardens**_

**The misty hallway **_**had**_** taken Naomé outside of the castle walls…just not as far as she'd feared. She'd found herself standing in the remains of what had been a glorious garden, the once planter-lined walkways now filled with barren, dead plants of all varieties. And, right in the center, was an old marble fountain, its once beautifully polished surface now dull and dusty, and to top it off it was covered in a tangle of thorny, wicked green-black vines.**

"**Yuck and double yuck," Naomé grunted as she began to travel the paths throughout the garden, eyes carefully on the alert for any signs of her mysterious hunter. **_**No wonder that monster wants to hang around here…this place, no offense to Beast, is the perfect place to camp out! However, there's one thing I just noticed…those vines…they're tangling up something within them…I wonder what it could be…?**_

_**Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House**_

**Gaston was beside himself with irritation. His plans for having Belle as his wife weren't going as planned. He'd hoped to find Belle and Maurice at home, only to have found out that their house was deserted and that it was in shambles.**

"**This place didn't look like this the last time I saw Belle," Gaston remarked as he distastefully picked up one of Maurice's discarded (yet still clean) socks. "That crazy old man must be so far gone that he can't even do his own laundry! It's no wonder he doesn't come into town anymore! He probably stinks so bad that not even flies would want to come near him!"**

**Lefou, however, didn't find the remark very funny. He, unlike many of Gaston's cronies, liked Maurice…the guy, as far as he was concerned, was a lot more intelligent than people gave him credit for, but he could never say that in front of Gaston. He also didn't think the remark was funny because he knew what was coming. Gaston was going to make him his watchdog…**_**again!**_

**Monsieur d'Arque, the owner of the Maison de Loons, seemed rather irritated that he'd been brought all the way to Belle's house for nothing. However, he was immediately assured by Gaston that he would get his money's worth once Maurice was found…he was, after all, paid a full bag of gold in advance for his assistance with Gaston's plot, and to the old man the gold that he had just gained was more than he'd ever make in a lifetime. Gaston's "gift" had been generous…he wasn't going to take advantage of the "gratuity."**

**Up on the roof, Roxas had discovered another one of the tiles had opened to reveal an old attic. Against KazeRyu's hastily issued commands, Roxas had crawled into the attic on his stomach so that his shoes wouldn't make any noise when coming in contact with the floor, and he'd just managed to succeed in making his way to the trapdoor above Maurice's bedroom. Curious, he placed his ear against the door and listened in, eyes wide in shock as he heard Gaston's conversation.**

"**Hey, Gaston! Do you think that nutcase could be hiding in the cellar? He might be cooking up another harebrained invention."**

"**Curse it all, Lefou! Weren't you listening to me? I just said 'Lefou, go take a look in the cellar! Maurice might be down there whipping up another one of his crazy contraptions!' For the grace of the gods, what do I have to do to make you listen to me once in a while, you fool?"**

**Lefou gave a twittering laugh. "What was that? I wasn't listening again."**

**Roxas bit down on his tongue so hard that he could've bit it in half. He slammed his hand over his mouth as he heard Gaston give a great groan of frustration and solidly crack Lefou a loud one on the head with a meaty fist. Roxas was certain that Gaston had hit Lefou so hard that he'd made his crony at least another six inches shorter, thereby classifying him as a midget.**

"_**Psst!**_** Roxas!"**

**Glancing back, Roxas spotted KazeRyu crouched on one of the trunks by the secret passage. "Oh, hi, Kaze. What's up?"**

"**That old guy was making me suspicious," KazeRyu remarked. "His sense of smell must be uncanny, for every time I tried to climb over the roof so I could get a better look, he would look up in my direction! I do not think he saw me, but I finally got sick of those beady little eyes of his. So, what are you doing down here?"**

**Roxas pointed at the trapdoor. "I'm listening to Gaston having it up to his receding hairline with that fool Lefou. Care to listen in with me? They're a hoot, I tell you! It's the best slapstick humor I've heard in years!"**

**KazeRyu smiled. "Gladly. I have always wanted to eavesdrop somebody from above. It is **_**so**_** much easier to not be detected. Let me have a listen." He leaned over the panel with Roxas, where they once again heard Gaston and Lefou arguing.**

"**Aw, come on, Gaston! I don't wanna stay here! I wanna go back to the tavern!"**

"**No, Lefou! You need to stay here until Belle and her father come home!"**

"**But it's freezing cold outside! I'll freeze my snowballs off before they get back!"**

"**Well, then you're just gonna have to thaw them out a bit, aren't you?"**

"**Yeah, but, Gaston-"**

"_**What?**_**"**

"_**Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire**_** is my least favorite Christmas carol!"**

**Roxas and KazeRyu flinched visibly as Gaston pummeled his wisecracking cohort once again. KazeRyu grimaced fiercely at the sound of Lefou's anguished wail as he glowered directly at Roxas. "Humans are disgusting."**

"**Hey! Don't look at me!" Roxas replied. "**_**I'm**_** not the one **_**cracking**_** the jokes!"**

_**CRACK!**_** KazeRyu reached across the door and smacked Roxas upside the head.**

"**Ouch!" Roxas hissed. "Dang it! Why'd you do that, Kaze?"**

"**Because I promised Naomé I would **_**crack**_** you if you started making wise**_**cracks**_**."**

**Groaning, Roxas scowled fiercely as he placed the side of his head that wasn't throbbing against the trapdoor. "**_**Now**_** who's the one **_**cracking**_** jokes? You know Kaze, you'd make a very good **_**nutcracker.**_**"**

_**FWOOSH!**_** Roxas just narrowly ducked KazeRyu's paw.**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Royal Gardens**_

"**Naomé!"**

**Startled, Naomé spun around. Her face, taught with tension, released back into a smile of profound relief when she saw who it was that'd spoken her name. "Sora! You came after me!"**

"**Thank the **_**gods**_** you're alive!" Sora replied, disengaging the Keyblade. He caught Naomé in a fierce hug and playfully mussed up her hair. "What in the name of Kingdom Hearts were you thinking? What was it in that blonde-haired head of yours that made you go in this stupid place and risk your life?"**

"**Because I was certain there had to be something here that could help Beast out!" Naomé replied, flipping the pin on the Master of the Keyblade and tousling his already spiky hair. "But I want to thank you for coming after me. It's nice to know that I have some real friends for a change."**

**Sora smacked himself upside the head. "I forgot…you weren't very popular on the Key Islands." He glanced around him, confusion making his heroic features ridiculously comical. "Hey…Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore…are we?"**

"**Actually, we still are," Naomé replied. "We've just managed to stumble across the demolished section of the castle, the part that never got completely repaired. In turn, this turned out to be a stony 'path' to the back gardens, of which we're standing in now." She allowed her eyes to rove about the area, taking in every detail. "The thing that caught my attention most was that fountain right in the middle. It's a nice one, but I don't like the **_**not**_** so nice plants all over it."**

**The sight of the spiky green-black vines made Sora scowl in anger. "**_**Maleficent…!**_** That's one of her trademark spells! A wall of thorny vines that are so tangled up that they virtually become a living wall to block anything and everything in their path! Roxas told me those vines blocked the secret entrance to my 'resting place' when I was in Disney Castle! Curses! She **_**always**_** knows how to turn anything into a 'thorny' problem!"**

**The determination on Naomé's face was almost too sharp for her delicate features. "Maleficent, eh? Well, then can I correctly assume that, if I see those vines, that she's obviously either been here recently or she's left her mark from a previous visit?"**

"**Not only can you **_**guarantee**_** that she's been here, but you can also assure yourself that those vines are meant to guard something that no one is to be able to gain access to!" Sora growled. "That's why that Heartless creature was in the South Wing…that thing's her watchdog for whatever it is she's trying to keep away from us!" He nodded towards the fountain. "So, that means the fountain holds either the Ring to the Heart of Beast's Castle, **_**or**_** it might hold the clues to where we can find it."**

"**But Sora," Naomé protested. "Could those vines also be a trick or a trap? You know, something to detain us while the last petals fall off of the enchanted rose? Besides, even someone like Maleficent would know that all the information in the world would do nothing if it wasn't found and figured out by the time the last petal of the rose fell off."**

**Sora's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, his face drawn into a look of shock. "Oh, for cryin' out loud ! Naomé, you're right! Maleficent could have set that up to distract us! But still, we should at least try to see what those vines might be hiding. Come on!"**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The South Wing**_

**Beast roared in fury as the Heartless version of himself flung a pile of tattered vines in his face. Clawing them off of his muzzle and throwing them aside, he whacked the shadowy creature right across the jaw with his paw, sending it into a backwards flip and skidding along the floor away from him.**

**Snarling, the Heartless scrambled back up onto its paws and came flying back at the Beast, whereupon Beast locked jaws with it and fell to the ground, taloned paws rending and tearing at the ethereal flesh. Both "man" and "beast" continued to struggle in primordial combat, instincts for survival in high gear.**

_**Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House**_

**Roxas was in a bad mood.**

**Gaston and Monsieur d'Arque had left, but they had left Lefou behind to "guard" Belle's house until she and Maurice came home.**

"**Rats!" Roxas spat, pounding his fist into the side of the attic wall. He'd just come back in from looking over the rooftop to see Lefou hastily piling himself inside a mound of freshly fallen snow to disguise his appearance as a snowman so as not to attract unwanted attention. "**_**Now**_** what are we gonna do? I was going to find a way to warn Sora of what was going to happen, but now I can't for fear of setting the whole thing off! Rats! Why do these things always work against me?"**

"**It appears that someone does not wish us to succeed in our mission," KazeRyu remarked, leaning back against a storage crate. "I am sorry to say this, Roxas, but it appears that we are stuck up here."**

"**Well, what about you?" Roxas retorted.**

"**What about me?"**

"**You're a wolf!"**

"**So? What has that got to do with anything?"**

**Roxas fought the urge to groan aloud like Gaston had done several times earlier that evening with Lefou. "So? You're a wolf, Kaze! You're fast, you're good at hiding, you have a memory that's as sharp as SaigaSama's edge…are you following me yet?"**

**KazeRyu's face was dead serious. "You want me to leave you here and carry the message of warning back to Sora? Roxas, what makes you think I can get out of here any easier than you?"**

"**Because your darker colors hide you better at night!" Roxas replied.**

"**What about my clothes?" KazeRyu replied. "They are not **_**that**_** dark."**

"**You've got fur!" Roxas fired back. "Leave your robes here!"**

**Shrugging, KazeRyu twitched about in his jacket. "That is really not going to do much good, Roxas. As you can see, I am still wearing my shirt and pants, so what good does it do me to leave my jacket here? If I go, I should go just the way I am."**

"**Then stop talking about it and do it!" Roxas cried. "We need to let Sora know about this so that nothing happens! And while you're at it, keep your eyes peeled for Maurice! If we can get him back here safely, then this whole thing might be avoided! Hurry, Kaze!"**

**KazeRyu nodded. "I see what you mean. But, Roxas, will you be all right alone?"**

**Roxas gritted his teeth and growled. "Never you mind about me! I'll be fine! I'm just gonna stay here and keep an eye on things! You just worry about warning Sora! With Maurice looking for Belle, Sora can't let her leave that castle! If something should happen that causes them to return here, then things will go badly for everyone!"**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing**_

**Belle was getting worried. She hadn't heard anything of the Beast, Sora or Naomé for the last several hours. Concerned, she'd taken to the West Wing in hopes of finding them there. Maybe they were trying to figure out how to save everyone?**

**Beast's chamber, however, was eerily quiet…so quiet that the hairs on the back of Belle's neck spiked in terror at the sound of the hinges squeaking in the chilly air. "Beast? Beast, are you in here? It's me, Belle! Is everything all right?"**

"**Lady Belle?"**

**Spooked, Belle jumped at the voice that'd called her. "Jacques? Is that you?"**

**Jacques alighted on the tabletop next to the glass bell jar the dying rose was in. He waved a friendly paw in Belle's direction. "Here I am! It's good to see you!"**

**Belle came to the table. "Jacques, where is everyone? Is everything all right?"**

"**Master Sora and Lady Naomé went after the mysterious shadow beast that everyone in the castle was talking about," Jacques explained. "Lady Naomé had reason to believe the South Wing held within it clues that could help us break the spell and set the Master free. Master Sora went after her after he realized that she hadn't followed him back to the library, and now the Master himself has gone after them per my request."**

**This brought concern to Belle's eyes. "Oh, dear…that's not good, Jacques…that creature could be very dangerous…"**

**Jacques gave Belle a knowing smile. "Not as dangerous as when the Master's ire is up. You yourself have seen that firsthand. Have no worries, Lady Belle. Everything is going to be fine." He suddenly noticed Belle's expression change again. "What is wrong?"**

"**The rose…" Belle said slowly. "Another one of the petals fell off, didn't it? There's only two left."**

"**Unfortunately, yes," Jacques replied, his own face drawn with concern. "And furthermore, I am worried that another petal is about to fall off at any minute. The Master's time is wearing thinner than ever, and if we don't find the clues we are looking for as soon as possible, then it will be too late."**

**Belle bit her lip in fear. "That's not good…I don't want that to happen…not to him…huh?" She caught sight of the magic mirror lying next to Jacques's back paw. "Jacques, what is that? I have never seen that there before."**

"**Hm?" Jacques asked, glancing down in the direction that Belle was looking at. "Oh! The mirror! The Master never showed you this little treasure, did he?"**

"**No," Belle replied. "But I have to admit, it **_**is**_** pretty."**

"**Not only that, but it's magical, too!" Jacques said excitedly. "It will allow you to see anything you wish to see! Anything and everything! You should give it a try! Go on, try it!"**

**Curious, Belle picked the mirror up off the table. She stared hard at her reflection in the polished surface before speaking to it. "I'd like to see my father…please…"**

**Jacques stood up on his back paws as the face of the mirror slowly changed from Belle's reflection to wherever it was her father was currently at. He stared in horror as he saw the forest outside, the wicked trees swirling in a blowy winter storm, and with Maurice trudging his way through knee-deep snow and shivering from the extreme cold. His body wracked from a series of hacking coughs, it was all Maurice could do to stay upright as he managed to crawl over a half-buried root.**

**Belle gasped in terror. "Papa! Oh, no…! Papa, what are you doing? You're out in that forest…you're sick! Oh, Papa! Hang on, Papa! I'm coming!" She put the mirror back on the table, but Jacques placed his paws underneath it and pushed it back towards her. "Jacques, what…?"**

"**Use this to find him faster!" Jacques encouraged her. "This mirror is better than any map out there! Now go! I will tell the Master about your leaving the castle! You do not have time to waste! Save your father, then return to us! Be careful out there!"**

**Smiling in relief, Bell gave Jacques a grateful peck on the top of his head. She swirled about on her heels and took off back towards her chambers to grab her traveling cloak and saddlebag. Knowing Philippe, he would've tracked his way back to that castle to get her!**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Royal Gardens**_

**Grunting and sweating with exertion, Sora hacked and slashed away at the remaining vines that Maleficent had cast on the fountain, Naomé grabbing at them and yanking them away from the marble sculpture. He gave a final blast with his Firaga, obliterating the last remnants of the magical plants. "Phew! There's the last of 'em! So, Naomé, do you see anything?"**

**Naomé clambered up onto the chilly marble, fighting the urge to let go as the ice-cold stone contacted with her already numbed fingers. Fighting her way onto the top, Naomé finally managed to get her grip to remain put as she pulled herself up onto the pillar so that her shoes were locked in the middle tier. She discovered the top of the fountain somehow came off, almost like the lid to a cookie jar. After struggling with the frozen cap for the better part of fifteen minutes, she discovered a crack that she could use to pry it off. Burying her fingers into the opening, she pried with all the strength in her hands until the top finally came loose and popped out, sending Naomé toppling backwards with the fountain's icy core in her hands.**

"**Good work!" Sora congratulated his friend and fellow Keybearer as he hefted the heavy object off of her. He examined the central piece of the fountain as Naomé sat up, breathless. "Hmmm…I don't think there's anything in here, Naomé…I think you're right…Maleficent played us for a pair of fools."**

_**Drat!**_** Naomé thought bitterly as she sucked frigid air into her aching lungs in hopes of eliminating the weariness from her body. **_**Why do I always have to be **_**right**_** at the **_**wrong**_** times? It never fails…wait a minute…what was **_**that?**_** Could that have been…?**_

**Sora noticed Naomé's puzzled expression. "Naomé, what's wrong?"**

"**I thought I saw something…"**

"**You did! **_**Nothing!**_** I just told you that Maleficent played us!"**

"**Not necessarily, Sora," Naomé replied. She stood up and took the fountain from his hands. Running her own hands along the "chamber" where the water was stored, she suddenly came across a crack in it. Piqued, she pointed it out to Sora. "A fountain wouldn't work if it had a crack like **_**this**_** in the storage chamber," She explained as she traced the extent of the crack with her fingers. "Furthermore, this crack is far too straight to have been created by wear and tear. My guess is that someone-"**

"**Cracked it on purpose?" Sora suggested, a sly grin coming over his face.**

**Naomé beamed proudly. "Yes, Sora. Well done! Anyway, if I follow this crack, and then put my fingers here like this…then slowly pull this apart…and **_**presto!**_**"**

**The canister opened in a clean split, revealing a core of solid ice with a small hardwood case like one would store a small map or pile of scrolls in sealed within it.**

**Sora and Naomé traded knowing glances, Sora's one of amazement, Naomé's one of curiosity. The Master of the Keyblade, however, groaned upon seeing the frozen item. "Leave it to Maleficent to pull something that sneaky," He said, smacking a cold hand to his forehead. "How are we going to get that thing out of there?"**

"**It's encased in solid ice, not crystal like you were," Naomé remarked as she scratched at the surface with her fingernails. She showed Sora the marks her nails had made, along with the ice shavings that'd come away in her fingertips. "See that? Since it's ice, it can melt. We should be able to find a fireplace **_**somewhere**_** within the castle. When we do, we can melt the casing out of the ice, and then we can open it and see what's inside."**

"**Good idea," Sora replied. "In fact, it's probably the best idea we have right about now. But I wonder…will the case catch on fire when we melt the ice?"**

**Naomé shrugged. "I don't think so. Unless you've forgotten, Sora, ice turns into water when it melts, and since the case is trapped within it, then it will only become wet, not incinerate. We should be fine."**

"**But that's the problem!" Sora insisted. "If the case gets wet, then won't the contents inside get wet, too? A case like that might not be waterproof, you know…we're gonna have to be extra careful in case whatever's inside has ink or anything on it…if it gets wet, it'll run, and then we'll **_**never**_** be able to figure out what to do!"**

"**All right, so what do you suggest?"**

"**Easy. Melt the ice until it's just short of having the case break through, and then we break the last of the ice off. That way, the case doesn't get doused in water, and we don't risk breaking anything or having anything get ruined."**

**Naomé was impressed. "That's a good idea, Sora. However, I don't really want to go back through the South Wing unless I absolutely have to. Do you think that we could find a way around the castle and back into it? I don't like the idea of facing that shadow beast again."**

"**I think I know how," Sora replied. "Follow me, Naomé."**

_**Beast's Castle – Mysterious Forest**_

_**Thank goodness that he's all right!**_** Belle found herself thinking as she found her father slumped in the middle of a clearing. Half-frozen and running a fever, Maurice was barely clinging to life. It was obvious the only thing that'd kept him going was the hopes of finding his daughter, as he was constantly muttering Belle's name under his breath, along with how it should've been he, not Belle, who'd been imprisoned for all those long years.**

**Belle hoisted her unconscious father onto Philippe's back, threw herself up behind him, and then took off in a full gallop, Philippe charging so determinedly that even the wolves of the forest that'd once molested him purposefully stayed away. Nothing seemed to want to face down the mighty steed and his valiant mistress.**

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Parlor**_

**Beast wasn't even aware that Belle had left the castle yet. He had, however, managed to send the Heartless packing. Unfortunately, the monstrous, nightmarish thing had escaped with its life, but Beast knew that it wouldn't be able to stay away forever. Sooner or later, it would try to attack Belle again…the purity of the Light that was in Belle's heart was too tempting for the Darkness to ignore.**

**Along his return to the West Wing, however, he'd discovered Sora and Naomé in the drawing room, holding a block of ice with a hardwood case frozen within it over the roaring flames with the fire tongs. However, despite the intense heat, the ice barely seemed to even break a sweat.**

"**Blast it all!" Sora cursed. "We've been sitting here for the last hour, and this thing hasn't even started to melt! What in the name of the gods is going on here?"**

**Naomé took a wild guess. "Well, we figured out that Maleficent put this in the fountain, right? Well then, if she enchanted the fountain with vines, then what kept her from casting a spell on the ice, as well? Who knows? Maybe she used a Blizzard spell."**

"**Or a **_**Blizzaga**_** spell, since her powers are so advanced," Sora mused. Suddenly, he stood up and backed away a couple of paces. "Naomé hold that ice over the flames! I'm going to try my Firaga again! Maybe you're right…maybe this is **_**enchanted**_** ice! Watch out! **_**Firaga!**_**"**

**Shocked, Naomé and Beast watched as the magical flames struck the ice dead on, burning out a huge hole in the frozen liquid. Pleased with the reaction, Sora told Naomé to turn the ice so he could hit it with his Firaga again. This process continued on for the better part of an hour, since Sora had to stop every few tries to wait for the magical charges within his Keyblade to replenish. During the breaks, Naomé interrogated the Keyblade Master about how best to use his powers when (and if) she ever emulated him again, as well as what he so fondly called "Keyblade basics."**

_**Beast's Castle – Mysterious Forest**_

**KazeRyu had just narrowly missed Belle and Maurice by a few seconds. He could tell he was too late when he saw Maurice's tracks end in a deep depression in the freshly fallen snow, which was met by four very heavy hoof prints (obviously Philippe's) and a pair of delicate shoes (Belle's, most definitely). Also, some of Maurice's tracks were partly erased, as Philippe's tracks began heading back towards the village with a great expanse between the prints. It was obvious that the horse was going at a very fast speed.**

"**Blast…" KazeRyu growled in frustration, talons scratching at the snow as though they had lives of their own. "I had best follow them back…I know I should carry the warning to Sora, but it is already too late…Gaston's plans to use Maurice are going to be set in motion far sooner than expected. Trouble can brew far faster than I can run between Beast's castle and back to the village." He glanced up towards the direction of the castle, the silhouette of which he could just barely make out. "I am sorry, Sora, but I must keep you in the dark…for now…."**

**Taking to his feet once again, KazeRyu whipped around and began heading back the way he came, leaving the two Keybearers and the princely Beast behind him. **_**I cannot leave Roxas alone…he will never be able to handle the type of I trouble that I smelled during Gaston's ransacking of Belle's house…there is too much trouble there for one person to handle alone…**_

_**Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Parlor**_

"**C'mon, Naomé! Lemme break it!"**

"**No freakin' way, you idiot! You'll tear the scroll through and through if you try to open it **_**that**_** way! Use your brains, dunderhead!"**

**Naomé triumphantly held the hardwood case in her hands, as though she were carrying an object made of glass. She'd carefully wiggled the lid open and had withdrawn from within it a parchment scroll bound with cold steel chain that had jet-black and silvery-white ribbons woven through the links and sealed with a crest (also formed from cold steel) and engraved with the insignias of the Heartless and Nobodies on it. She was also arguing with Sora, who was standing before her with the Keyblade readied in preparation to strike the chain that kept the scroll sealed.**

"**I wanna break that chain!" Sora snarled, rearing the Keyblade back to strike.**

"**Try it and you're a dead man!" Naomé snapped back, throwing her arms behind her back and protecting the scroll with her body. "If you're **_**that**_** desperate to break it, then you're gonna have to break **_**me**_** to get through to it!"**

"**Stop wasting time!" Sora growled. "We don't have enough of it as it is!"**

**Naomé laughed in his face. "**_**'Stop wasting time,**_**' eh? Ha! Look who's talking! **_**I'm**_** the one that's not wasting time, Sora! **_**You're**_** the one that is, since you're so insistent that the only way to open the scroll is to break the seal!"**

"**No, duh! That's the **_**only**_** way to open it!"**

"**No, it's not."**

"**Prove it!"**

**Naomé fiddled with the scroll behind her back, suddenly bringing it around for Sora to see that she'd managed to get the scroll open without having to break the ribbon. "See that? All you had to do was untie the damned thing."**

**Beast tried not to snigger at Sora's bewildered face, which became more hilarious in the firelight. "You have a lot more to learn about women than you think you do, Sora."**

"**Speak for yourself," Sora grumbled under his breath as he disengaged the Keyblade. "So, what does the scroll say?"**

**Naomé carefully unraveled the parchment, smoothed it out, and then turned it towards the light so she could read it better.**

"_**Within the Beast the noble Prince sleeps,**_

_**His true soul trapped in Darkness deep.**_

_**Held fast by a spell that's turned to a curse,**_

_**True Love must be earned for enchantment's reverse.**_

_**Hope resides within one whose Heart is of Light,**_

_**Forged with both purity and innocence bright.**_

_**Beware not the hounds with yellowed eyes,**_

_**But the deceitful one in the hunter's guise.**_

_**Skirt the shadow, the Darkness of Heart,**_

_**Let not the Princess of Light Heart depart.**_

_**Grant not the father leave from his home,**_

_**For risk there runs of dangers unknown.**_

_**In the battle following the arrow's mark,**_

_**True Love's Light in dimmed Heart shall spark.**_

_**A vow in moment of destiny,**_

_**Shall at last set Prince Anton Verain free.**_

_**Lastly, seek the lion for which the Hero is named,**_

_**Then shall a Heart be set free and a kingdom reclaimed.**_**"**

**Sora gaped at the rhyme. "Whoa…that's a **_**big**_** riddle…"**

"**M-hm. And one that needs to be solved rather quickly," Naomé cautioned. "Let us start from the beginning. Now, we know that Beast is actually an enchanted Prince."**

"**Prince Anton Verain, the poem says," Sora replied.**

**Naomé nodded before continuing. "Right. Now, Prince Anton has only one way of regaining his true identity…**_**Belle.**_**"**

**Beast snorted huffily. "That's obvious. She has been for the last eleven years!"**

**Sora shushed his animal friend. "Easy, Beast. Or, **_**Anton**_**, should it be?"**

"**I vowed to myself that I would not use that name until I was back to normal," Beast growled. "I cannot bring any honor to my name and that of my family while I remain like this."**

"**Er, right. Sorry," Sora said a trifle nervously. He turned back to Naomé. "Okay, so, now that we know this, the poem says something about not being afraid of the wolves in the forest, but by someone in a hunter's guise. Any ideas?"**

**Naomé gave Sora a snort of contempt. "**_**Gaston,**_** you fool! Who else could it be?"**

**Sora instantly saw the reasoning behind Naomé's deduction. "Okay, okay…my bad. Sorry, but poems aren't my thing. Puzzles, strange codes, yeah, I can take 'em on any day. But as for something like rhymes, poems and riddles of any type? Sorry…that's not exactly my forte."**

"**I guess that's why you need me, because **_**I'm**_** good at them," Naomé replied frostily. "Now, the poem says, '**_**Skirt the shadow, the Darkness of Heart; let not the Princess of Light Heart depart. Grant not the father leave from his home, for risk there runs of dangers unknown.'**_** Now, I don't have any idea what that means, aside from the fact that Bells is one of those 'Princesses of Heart' that you spoke of earlier."**

"**Yeah, and also the poem tells us to not worry about that Heartless in the South Wing," Sora said, pointing at the correct stanza. "That thing was just meant to get in our way, anyway. **_**That**_** thing was the way that Maleficent was hoping to play us with. Good thing you got around it, Naomé, or we never would've found this. What's next?"**

**Naomé rubbed at her chin thoughtfully. "Well, lemme see here…what I don't understand about this one particular part is how it says to not let Belle depart, and to not let Maurice leave his home in the village. If that should happen, then something terrible will come of it. I just don't know what …"**

**At that moment, Jacques came skidding in. "Master! I must tell you something!"**

"**Jacques?" Beast, Sora and Naomé whispered in astonishment as the rat servant came scrambling up Beast's arm and onto his powerful shoulder.**

**Beast stared hard at his "manservant," eyes narrowed in mixed irritation and concern. "What is it, Jacques? What is wrong? Has that creature gone after Belle again?"**

"**No, Master," Jacques replied. "I just came to tell you something important, though. You won't have to worry about that thing going after Lady Belle."**

"**You got rid of it?" Sora said, amazed. "Well done, Jacques!"**

"**I'd like to find out exactly how a snack for that thing could've gotten rid of it!" Naomé laughed. "Jacques, you're braver than anybody's ever given you credit for!"**

"**No, no! Listen to me, all of you! Please!" Jacques pleaded. The enchanted servant lunged across the expanse between Beast's shoulder and onto the mantel. "Lady Belle is not in any danger from that shadow beast anymore because she is no longer here! She has departed from this castle and gone after her father, Old Monsieur Maurice! The magic mirror showed him collapsed in the middle of the forest, half-dead from cold!"**

**Beast felt his heart stop. He turned his horrified gaze to Naomé and Sora, who stared back at him in perfect imitation of his expression as they all recited the same mysterious stanzas:**

"_**Skirt the shadow, the Darkness of Heart,**_

_**Let not the Princess of Light Heart depart.**_

_**Grant not the father leave from his home,**_

_**For risk there runs of dangers unknown.**_**"**


	22. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"_For Risk There Runs of Dangers Unknown…"_

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

Roxas thought he heard hooves pounding outside of the house. _Maurice…? Did he decide to come home, after all? Did he change his mind about Belle and leaving Sora to save her?_ He scrambled out of the attic and onto the top of the roof. Looking down, he felt himself pale in terror. Belle was riding Philippe, and she had Maurice slung across the horse's shoulders!

_Oh, no! Belle! What are you doing back here? Did KazeRyu not reach you in time? Oh, no…what's going to happen now? Lefou's hiding right by the base of that staircase, and now he's gonna go get Gaston and those other bumbling village idiots and try to get Maurice locked up! Darn it! I've _gotta_ go down there and help them out!_

Lefou, shivering, tried to hold his breath as he saw Belle dismount form Philippe's back. He watched as Roxas came running from out of the house to help her hoist Maurice off of Philippe's back and carry him inside.

_Wait a minute…that's the guy that was in the tavern a few days ago, the one that'd stopped that crazy carthorse in the square…he wasn't in the house when Gaston and I searched it several hours ago…! When did he show up? I must've fallen asleep…anyway, Belle and Maurice are back…I'm gonna have to go and get Gaston…this ain't gonna be pretty…_

He waited several minutes more before he burst from his hiding place and took off back towards the village. He hated the fact that he was going to have to do this to Belle and Maurice, but it was a lot easier to do this to them than it was to take a beating from Gaston.

"Belle, what are you doing here?"

Belle glared at Roxas as she tended to the ailing Maurice. "What do you think I'm doing here, Roxas? I'm taking care of my father!"

Roxas slapped a hand to his eyes and wiped his face with it. "I can see that! What I'm trying to tell you is that this isn't safe!"

"Why not?" Belle challenged. "This is our home! Of course we're safe!"

"No, no, no!" Roxas replied, tempted to knock Belle as silly as he would if she were Sora. "Belle, you're not listening to me! It's not safe here anymore! Your father's in danger, Belle! You have to get him out of here! Get him back on Philippe and get the Hell out of this village and back to Beast's castle! That's the only place you're safe anymore!"

Belle stood up and got right up in Roxas's face. "If Beast's castle is the only safe place for us, then how can you explain it? Tell me!"

Roxas stubbornly stood his ground. _I know it's not right to argue with a Princess, but this time the old formalities just don't apply!_ "Do you recall seeing that snowman sitting by the stairs a few minutes ago?"

"Yes. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Because that wasn't any snowman," Roxas replied. "That was Lefou disguised as one!"

"Lefou Devaureaux?" Belle asked, puzzled. "Gaston's friend?"

Roxas nodded. "He's been waiting here for you to come back for the last several hours! Gaston was here earlier with him and some man named Monsieur d'Arque, and the three of them ransacked the place! I don't know if you know who that last guy is, but-"

Belle became alarmed. "Monsieur d'Arque? He's the owner of the Maison de Loons! What was he doing in my father's house?"

"Looking for your father, that's what!" Roxas retorted. "That's what I'm trying to tell you! Gaston's gonna use your old man as a pawn in his plans to marry you! Maurice told everyone about you being locked up in the Beast's castle!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Belle replied. "My father would do anything to protect me!"

"That's the point!" Roxas thundered, slamming his fists down on the table so hard he made the legs rattle and wobble. "Gaston's using that protection against the both of you! He knows that Maurice would do anything to save you, even if it made him look like he was stark raving mad! And he also knows that you would do anything to protect him in turn! Gaston's going to take the fact that everyone in town thinks that your father's gone off the deep end and use it to his advantage! He's gonna leave you with a choice, Belle, one that's going to break your heart either way: choose him, or lose your father!"

Now Belle became frightened. "Why didn't you tell me of this sooner?"

"I sent KazeRyu to do that, but it appears that I was too late," Roxas replied bitterly. "It doesn't matter now…you've got only a few minutes left before it's too late and you can't escape…take your stuff, take your father, and leave this village! Go back to Beast's castle and _stay there!_"

"And what about you?"

Roxas waved Belle off with an irritable flick of his hand. "I'll be fine! You worry about you and your father's lives together! Leave me out of it! I don't figure in the equation!"

"Yes, you do! You're my friend, and you're risking getting in some serious trouble by protecting us! Roxas, you're as important in this whole thing as Sora is! If I leave, you're coming with me!"

"No!" Roxas fired in reply. "I can wait until Kaze comes back! He'll probably realize that he can't get a hold of you now…Philippe's trail is pretty obvious to follow in the snow. When he comes back here, I'll go back to the castle with him. In the meantime, I'll protect your house from Gaston and his idiots…even if it means that I risk getting beaten up for it."

"Hold on a minute. 'Kaze?' You mean KazeRyu?"

"Yes, yes!" Roxas said dismissively. He flung the saddlebag and traveling cloak at Belle and issued a hurried command. "Go! Get out of here! Now!"

Belle turned to grab the strap to her saddlebag and fling it over her shoulder when she suddenly heard three gentle raps at the door. Startled, she turned to Roxas, eyes wide in terror.

Roxas nodded somberly, realization of what was happening coming more clearly to him than almost anything had ever been. "It is too late, then. There is no hope of escape now. You must answer the door, Belle…I will make sure your father is safe back here. Handle Gaston and his 'crazy loons'…I'll keep an eye on things back here until everything settles down...when and if they do…"

Sighing heavily, Belle set her cloak and saddlebag down on the floor next to the table and went to open the door. She laid her hand on the doorknob, only to turn and look back at Roxas. She frowned in disappointment when he glowered sternly at her and motioned towards the door with an abrupt and curt jerk of his head. She sighed again, this time in resignation, realizing and acknowledging that she truly had no other choice.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Parlor_

"_When did she leave?_"

Jacques winced at the Beast's furious snarl. "A couple of hours ago, Master."

"Why was she in the West Wing?" Sora asked.

"She was looking for everyone, Master Sora," Jacques replied. "She was concerned, and she wished to check up on the Master and you and Lady Naomé. When she did, and she noticed that there wasn't anybody there, I made myself known to her. When she inquired about you, I mentioned the fact about the shadow monster in the South Wing, and Lady Naomé's suspicions of there being a clue that could help us break the spell."

"Obviously I was right!" Naomé snorted, holding up the scroll. She glared at Sora.

Sora flinched. "Okay, okay, I didn't give you a chance. I won't do that again! I promise! Anyway, Jacques, how did Belle know that Maurice was ill?"

"I told her about the magic mirror."

"The one that Beast always keeps by the rose?"

Jacques nodded. "Indeed. Well, I told her about its ability to let you see anyone and anything you wished to see, and she asked it about her father, Old Monsieur Maurice. Well, it showed her exactly what I described to you, and she was terrified! I told her to take the mirror and go rescue her father, and that I would let you know about her leaving the castle grounds, Master. I apologize for not having taken the matter up with you sooner, but Old Monsieur Maurice was in grave danger!"

Beast's anger seemed to melt away. "Her father…he was dying?"

Naomé suddenly tugged on the back of Sora's jacket. "Sora! The poem! Maurice must've left his home to come and find Belle!"

"Yes, but why would Roxas let him slip away from him like that?" Sora remarked. "Roxas doesn't let anyone slip his sights. You saw what happened with him when he pursued Xalinia back in Twilight Town."

"Maurice must've given him the slip, not the other way around," Naomé explained. "However, that doesn't matter now. What _does_ matter is that he left the house, came after Belle, got sick from the cold, and now Belle's gone to rescue him and take him back to her home in the village!"

"Wait…didn't the poem say something about that?" Sora asked.

Naomé shrugged. "I dunno…lemme check…" She flipped the scroll back open, but then gasped when she came across something that startled her. "Sora! There _is_ something in here that applies to that! Do you remember the part about not fearing the wolves, but fearing Gaston?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Gaston's the unknown danger! The danger that the poem speaks of after it warns about not letting Maurice leave the village! Gaston's going to do something terrible, and it's going to affect both Maurice _and_ Belle! And if it affects Belle, then we _all_ know that it's going to affect Beast, too!"

Sora gave an involuntary start. "My God! Beast, she's right! Did you hear that, Beast?"

Beast's voice was silent.

"Beast?" Naomé called back over her shoulder.

_Total_ silence.

Both Keybearers spun around. Beast had vanished!

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

Belle held her breath as she took her hand to the doorknob. She didn't want to believe what Roxas was saying, but something inside of her just didn't want to let go of the chance that he might be right about the whole thing. Exhaling slowly, Belle turned the doorknob in her clammy hands and cracked it open just enough to poke her head around. "May I help you?"

Monsieur d'Arque was strangely courteous, although his voice was cold and icily calm. "Good evening. I have come to collect your father."

These words struck into Belle's heart like a white-hot knife. She felt her breath catch in her chest and her stomach plummet into her shoes. _Roxas _was_ right! But, I can't let them know that I'm onto them and their little scheme…I'm just going to have to fake that I don't know anything…which I won't like…I never liked the idea of deception._ She gave Monsieur d'Arque a puzzled glance. "My father?" She echoed.

The smile on the old man's face was chilling. "Don't worry…we're going to take good care of him…" He stepped aside and motioned towards the cart that was waiting at the bottom of the "driveway." In the dim light, the words _Maison de Loons_ was just barely recognizable. But to Belle, whose eyes were accustomed to darkness from being in Beast's castle for so long, immediately recognized the lettering.

Belle appeared to exhibit a quiet shock and outrage. "My father's not crazy!"

Lefou hopped to the forefront of the throng of villagers that'd gathered outside. "He was raving like a lunatic!" He said, pointing accusingly at the house. Many of the villagers nodded their heads and muttered in agreement.

Back inside the house, Roxas was struggling to keep the half-dazed Maurice in bed. The old man had awakened at the sound of the knocks on the door, and the sound of Lefou's voice accusing him of being a "lunatic" had only spurred him to consciousness in record time.

"Maurice, Maurice, getting up in those people's faces is only going to make things worse!" Roxas hissed insistently, hands grasping Maurice's shoulders and pushing him back into the pillows. "Just relax and let Belle take care of it!"

"A 'lunatic,' am I?" Maurice barked. "I'll well soon see about that!"

"It's not any good, Maurice! If you go out there, that creepy old man is going to lock you up and throw away the key! What good are you going to be to Belle if you're locked up out of sight and out of mind? You're just going to ruin everything by going out there! Stop being a silly ass and listen to me!"

Maurice still attempted to struggle. "But what about Belle? She's not going to be able to hold everyone off forever!"

"Belle is more than capable of taking care of herself!" Roxas replied. "Trust me, I've seen her defend herself! She's not stupid by any means! You've raised a very intelligent daughter, Maurice, one that's fiercely loyal to her beliefs and to you! Believe me, if anyone tries to get past Belle, they're going to have a hard time doing it! Now stay still!"

Angered, Maurice continued to fight Roxas every step of the way, but he was still weak and weary from his "illness," and he was soon forced to have to listen to Belle engage in a heated argument with Monsieur d'Arque, Lefou and the other villagers in his defense.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Beast had retired to the West Wing, his mind spinning. _Belle's gone…she's left the castle without even so much as a note…there's no time left…I'm doomed…_

The reasoning behind Beast's observation was painfully clear upon his entering his chambers. The rose, still in its glass bell jar, had only one petal clinging to it. During the time he'd fought the mysterious shadow creature and had helped Sora and Naomé decode the twisted poem they'd discovered in the fountain in the gardens, another petal had released itself from its "host," cutting Beast's chances to regain his true form and identity to next to nothing.

At first, Beast had been tempted to go after Belle, to take to the forest and track her back to the village, but his duty to protect his ancestral home had forced him to remain put. Then, in what could only be described as a spur of the moment, he'd bounced about the idea to send Jacques off after her, as he could easily discover her path back to her home. This thought, however, came to a screeching halt when he'd realized that Jacques could never make it that far, that by the time he reached Belle and came back with her, that it would be far too late for him to try and save himself.

Lonely and heartbroken, Beast resigned himself to his horrible, cursed fate and kept a silent vigil on the rose, counting each passing moment as he waited to see his hopes die with the last petal as it fell to the tabletop.

_Only a miracle can save me now…_

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

Roxas's battle with Maurice had ended up going badly in Roxas's favor. Maurice had managed to sneak past him as he'd gone to the kitchen to grab some tea from the kettle, and he was now forced to watch from behind the kitchen door as Maurice confronted his accusers.

"Maurice!" Lefou's voice, sly and squeaky, came floating in from outside. "Tell us again, old man…just how big exactly _was_ this beast?"

Cursing horribly, Roxas listened in fury and frustration as Maurice recounted his visions of the Beast. "I'd say he was at least eight…no, maybe ten feet tall…! And those eyes…they were the eyes of a monster, I tell you!"

The raucous laughter of the villagers outside made Roxas's blood boil, making him feel feverish. Lefou's taunt mad him even angrier as it took a sharp stab at Belle's father. "You can't get any crazier than that! Get that lunatic out of here!"

Grinding his teeth, Roxas watched as Monsieur d'Arque's men roughly grabbed Maurice, hauled him down the steps as he protested with a righteous anger, and threw him into the wagon with a loud _thud!_ It was at that particular moment that Roxas found himself tempted to give in to his anger and go on a murderous rampage. _This isn't right…! Maurice isn't crazy! But…but nobody wants to believe him…! I wonder…is the crap that's happening right now the same kind of thing that _Naomé _went through all of her life? I know I went through something similar to this, but not to this kind of an extent!_

Belle's voice suddenly changed as Gaston appeared in the doorway. The sight of the huntsman made Roxas's temper flare higher than it'd even flared before, almost making his vision turn crimson with bloodlust. Gaston's voice was smooth and deceptive, as though trying to be sympathetic. "Poor Belle. It's a shame about your father…"

"You know he's not crazy, Gaston!" Belle barked, eyes narrowed. "You _know!_"

Gaston appeared thoughtful. "Hmmm…I just might be able to find a way to clear up this little misunderstanding…_if…_" He let the word hang for emphasis.

"Belle!" Roxas hissed. "This is what I was talking about! Watch out!"

Belle barely heard Roxas's voice reach her from the kitchen. _This is it, is it? Well, Gaston's about to find out that I don't play games! _Especially_ when it comes to my father!_ "If what?" She said, brown eyes blazing with what could only be described as a "royal" temper.

Gaston's smile was sickening. "_If_ you marry me…" To Roxas, it was obvious that Gaston thought he had won the match. _Boy, is he wrong…he doesn't know what's coming…get 'em, Belle!_

Roxas was right. Belle let loose with her outrage, making Gaston recoil in shock. "If I _what?_ I would _never_ marry you!"

"Have it your way, then! Say good-bye to your father, Belle!" Gaston spat. He signaled Monsieur d'Arque's men. "Take him away!"

Something within Belle snapped. Outraged beyond normal reason, she dashed back into the house and threw herself onto her saddlebag, throwing the cover open and diving into it.

Roxas was stunned. "Belle! What are you-?"

"Proving that my father isn't crazy, that's what!" Belle hissed venomously, snatching the magic mirror as quick as a striking serpent would attack its prey.

"The magic mirror? Belle, how did you get that?" Roxas yelped.

"It's how I found my father in the forest!" His friend replied. Belle locked eyes with Roxas, powerful with anger and yet full of thanks and sympathy. "I understand that you want to help, Roxas, and I appreciate it, but this is something that only I can undo. Please try to understand what I am saying, and hopefully don't find it offensive."

Licking dry lips, Roxas nodded his acknowledgement. "All right, Belle. Just be careful!"

Gaston couldn't believe what'd just happened. _I thought that Belle would do anything to protect her father! What just happened here? How is it possible that I misread this so terribly?_

Belle surprised Gaston again by bursting back out of the front door and onto the doorstep, the magic mirror in hand. She locked eyes with her hated huntsman and scheming suitor as she called out her challenge. "My father's not crazy, and I can prove it!" She thundered.

"Belle, what-?" Gaston choked.

The villagers turned back towards Belle, stunned. A murmur of confusion shot up and down amongst them as they stared at her, unsure of how she was going to prove Maurice's innocent and sanity with a hand mirror.

But Belle didn't pay attention. She turned to the mirror. "Show me the Beast!" She commanded, turning the mirror's reflective surface towards the villagers. The mirror's image magically shifted to showing the Beast, throwing his head back as he howled in grief and agony at the thought of losing Belle. His fangs gleamed brilliantly in the eerie moonlight as he let his cry echo from within his deep chest, a howl as if his heart was being torn out of his body.

The women in the crowd screamed in terror. Monsieur d'Arque's men threw Maurice out of the cart and dove into it instead, taking off back down into the village as fast as the horses could take them. Lefou and Gaston gaped in shock and frigid awe at Beast's terrifying form.

"Is he dangerous?" A woman called out.

Belle smiled softly. She knew why Beast was howling. _He misses me…_ "Oh, no, he wouldn't harm anyone. He may look dangerous, but he's kind and gentle, and…he's my friend."

Gaston felt jealousy stir up from within him. _So, this _creature_ is what's keeping Belle from marrying me? Her "friend" is keeping her away from me? I don't think so! _That's_ not going to happen anymore!_ He confronted Belle, voice taught with a snarl. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you had _feelings_ for this monster," He accused her.

The accusation stung Belle like a whip across the face. Angry, she threw Gaston's words right back at him, and they were doubly potent. "He's not the monster, Gaston! _You are!_"

Back inside the house, Roxas almost whooped with delight. _You go, Belle! Oh, man…I wish Sora could've heard that one! He would've _loved_ to hear that! I guess I'll have to tell him when we get back together…_

What he heard next, however, made his originally hot blood, which had cooled off somewhat, to go icy cold in fear. Gaston's voice was angry and accusatory, filled with fierce temper and full-blown jealousy. "She's a crazy as the old man! The Beast will make off with your children! He'll attack them in the night!"

Belle sounded horrified. "No!"

Roxas bit his tongue to keep quiet. _Beast isn't a bloodthirsty animal! He's a poor, unfortunate Prince that just didn't have a heart to call his own! The poor boy's, or should I say the poor man's, had enough torture and humiliation to begin with! And _now_ he's being painted as a murderer and a child-killer! Ooh, if I could get my hands on that Gaston and not put Belle in danger…!_

"The village isn't safe until his head is mounted on my wall!" Gaston continued. He snatched the mirror and brandished like a club as he roared out his sudden inspiration. "I say we _kill_ the Beast!"

The thunderous agreement of the villagers was deafening, so loud that it made Roxas's ears hurt. His heart went out to Belle as she pleaded with Gaston to stop.

"Gaston, please! I beg you not to do this! Stop! You don't what you're doing!"

"If you're not with us, you're against us!" Gaston replied. He called out to the villagers. "Bring the old man! Let's lock them both up!"

Maurice's voice was furious. "Get your hands off of me this instant…!"

Roxas almost bellowed in outrage as he saw Gaston roughly drag Belle down the stairs and heard him continue to work the crowd's temper to a feverish pitch. "We can't have them running off to warn the creature!" He howled.

The sound of Maurice and Belle being thrown into the cellar, with the heavy oaken doors and the thick deadbolt being drawn, echoed with a bang in Roxas's ears. He dug his nails into the door as he heard the crowd walking off, chanting, "Kill the Beast! Kill the Beast! Kill the Beast!" until they could be heard no more.

Back inside the house, Roxas pounded his fist against the door casing, cursing as loudly as he dared. He cursed his inability to speak up, his reluctance to fight, his forcing himself to listen to Sora's commands to return to the village, and his thoughts of leaving Naomé back at the castle, the castle that was now about to be attacked. As he heard the last traces of the mob vanish from within hearing range, Roxas Launcelot Avalon sunk into despair. He stared at the ceiling, heart burning with regret as a painful realization struck him.

The angry mob was going after the Beast, and there was no way that Roxas could warn his friends back at the castle in time. They were all going to die.

_Beast's Castle – Mysterious Forest_

The sounds of an angry mob forced KazeRyu to leap up into the trees, hiding as much as he could amongst the shadows. His pale eyes narrowed to being halfway closed as he watched the mob of villagers, lead by Gaston atop his coal black hunting steed and Lefou as the lead torchbearer, march into the woods. Every man in town was in the group, wielding whatever they could use as a weapon, and torches gleamed like fireflies in the eerie night.

"Kill the Beast! Kill the Beast!" The chant echoed like thunder, making KazeRyu's ears ring until he almost couldn't stand it anymore. He flattened his ears back against his head as he remained stationary, a silent spectator to a grim sight.

"_Kill the Beast?" Why are the villagers going after Beast and the castle? What has driven them into such a frenzied state? Hmmm…my instincts tell me that I'd best return to Belle's home…I have a bad feeling that something messy went down on those steps…I can only hope that everyone is all right…I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing._

Carefully picking his way through the branches, KazeRyu stealthily snuck through the next few trees until he was certain that he was finally in the clear and unable to be detected by any of the angry villagers. Leaping down so that he landed silently on his feet, he took off at a dead run, wind whistling in his ears, nose twitching as he smelled an approaching storm, his speed taking him into the now partially deserted village, eyes locked on the house that stood out in the far distance…

Belle's house.

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

Roxas raced out of the house, Chip the teacup clinging from one of the belt loops on his pants. Chip had stowed away in Belle's saddlebag when she'd left the castle, curious as to why his friend was leaving so quickly. The clever little teacup recognized Roxas immediately, and the two friends were now racing to save Belle and Maurice in order to save Beast, Sora and Naomé from a terrible fate at the hands of Gaston and his miniature army of enraged villagers.

"Where's Belle and her Papa?" Chip asked as Roxas took a sharp turn around the corner.

"Locked in the cellar!" Roxas replied hastily as he came to a screeching halt and Summoning his KeyStaff. Breathless, he called out to the cellar doors, "Belle! Maurice! Are you all right down there?"

Belle's face appeared in the tiny window crafted into the foundation stones, eyes wide with delight. "Roxas! Gaston didn't see you! I'm so glad! Can you get us out of here?"

"I can try!" Roxas replied with great determination. Yelling a furious war cry, he swung the KeyStaff as hard as he could, biting the head of Oblivion deep into the oaken timber deadbolt. "Hang on in there! I'll have you out in no time!"

"Hurry, Roxas!" Belle pleaded. "There isn't much time left!"

Roxas pounded against the bolt with all his might. He paused for but a moment to catch his breath, then began hammering away again. "You don't have to tell me twice, Belle!"

_BANG! CRACK! THWACK! CRUNCH!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall_

Back at the castle, various pieces of furniture and other objects were piling themselves up against the main doors to the Entrance Hall. Cogsworth, head of the household and a mantel clock to boot, had given the alert that he'd spotted a mob of intruders armed with the magic mirror and various implements of improvised weaponry coming towards the castle gates with the intent of laying siege.

A brass candelabrum named Lumiere and Mrs. Potts, Chip's mother and a kindhearted teapot, had taken charge of the situation with Cogsworth. Originally, Mrs. Potts had opted to warn the Beast, but Naomé, who was now running to the West Wing as fast as she possibly could, had beaten her to the punch.

Sora, meanwhile, had taken total command. He directed the transfigured servants to stack themselves in a certain manner, thus making a virtually impenetrable barricade. He'd even used his Keyblade to throw the bolt to the door shut, granting them time.

"Hold fast against those doors!" Sora ordered. "We need more time to think! There's more that we can do, but we need to give Naomé time to warn Beast of the dangers! Hold those doors back as hard as you can, hold them for your master's sake!"

"What do you think we're trying to do?" Cogsworth snapped. "Hold a tea party?"

Jacques soundly bit the mantel clock on the leg. "Stop getting your cogs in a twist, you old fuddy-duddy! Master Sora knows _exactly_ what he's doing! Shut up and listen to him, Cogs_worthless!_"

Cogsworth was outraged. "You _dare_ insult my honor, you rat?"

"Shut up, both of you!" Sora barked. "Save you breath for fighting Gaston and those goons of his! Trust me, you're going to need every breath you can draw! Now, hold on!"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Naomé skidded into the West Wing and virtually kicked down the doors to Beast's chamber. "Beast! Beast! Come quickly! You mustn't waste any time!" She cried, almost breathless and ready to collapse.

Beast's voice was cold and dismissive, just as it'd been when they'd first met several days before. "Leave me in peace, Naomé. I wish not to be disturbed."

"I can't, Beast! "Naomé replied. "The castle is under attack! Gaston the hunter and a group of men from the village are laying siege to the castle doors as we speak! They're armed with the magic mirror! They must've stolen it from Belle!"

"Belle?" Beast's voice was suddenly soft and tender, as though daring not to speak his friend's name for fear of tainting the purity of its pronunciation. But then, he turned cold again. He whirled around and glared at her, his nostrils, and temper, flaring "What have they done to her?"

Naomé tried to stay calm. "I don't know! All I know is that she's not with them! She must be back at the village, her and her father! They must be with Roxas and KazeRyu, and I don't know if everything's to be all right!" She growled in exasperation as Beast turned his back to her. "Beast, you've _got_ to do something!"

"It doesn't matter now…" Beast said, eyes locked on the single petal on the rose. "Nothing matters now…just let them come…"

It was then that Naomé noticed that the rose was down to its final petal. She pointed accusingly at the enchanted flower. "Aha! So, _that's_ what's making you be this way, isn't it? You're crying over that stupid rose instead of fighting with every ounce of strength you have to not give in! You're giving up, Beast, and it's all because Belle isn't here to give you courage! You're giving up your dreams because you don't think you can do it! Nothing matters to you except yourself, and it's always been that way!"

"Nothing matters without Belle," Beast said softly. "Anything I do won't bring her back."

Naomé was beside herself with frustration. "That's why, Beast! Belle made a difference in your life! And what happened tonight about Belle leaving may be true, but at least you fought every step of the way with everything you had! Beast, your castle is under attack! Your home is being besieged by a bunch of lunatics! And you're just going to stay up here and cry about the fact that everything's hopeless? That's not how a Prince fights! Forget the rose! Forget the spell! Fight for what your heart tells you to fight for! What is it about Belle that drives you?"

Beast's voice was hollow, yet filled with emotion. "Because…I love her…"

_Beast's Castle – Sophia Rosé Village – Belle's House_

_CRACK! THUD! BAM! BANG! KER-RACK! CRUNCH!_

Roxas was flailing away with both ends of the KeyStaff, Oathkeeper and Oblivion hacking away at the timber that was keeping Belle and Maurice locked in. Some sixth sense was telling him that time was running out, and with each passing second he became more ferocious and powerful, his strikes becoming more rhythmic as he hit the same spot again and again.

"Come on!" Roxas spat. "Hurry up and break up, will you? Stupid overgrown splinter! Just you wait until I'm done with you…!" He gasped in between attacks, his back, shoulders, chest and arms screaming at him with pain and exhaustion. But, despite his fatigued condition, he continued to plug gamely on, straining with everything he had as he started incorporating magic into his attack plans, employing the powers of Fire and Thunder to burn and chip away at the wood. Splinters and embers flew up all around him as he hacked and slashed, his frustration coming out in wild battle cries that echoed like a hammer striking an anvil with each hit.

Finally, when it seemed all hope was lost, Roxas vented the last of his fury and expended the last ounces of strength he could muster from within his tired body. Giving an almighty roar of determination and defiance, he swung the KeyStaff high and brought it crashing down with all of his might!

_KER-RASH!_

With the sound mimicking an explosion, Oathkeeper cleaved clean through the aged timber, splicing it in two and sending a shower of chips and splinters everywhere around its master. Roxas kicked the shattered bolt halves aside and flung the cellar doors open, his wild-eyed gaze meeting the awed eyes of Belle.

Belle could've kissed Roxas on the spot. "Roxas! You did it!"

Chest heaving with exertion as he tried to draw breath into his burning lungs, Roxas reached down with his left hand to help Belle out of the cellar. "Congratulate me later," He panted. "Hurry, Belle! We don't have any time to lose! We have to get to the castle! _Now!_"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall_

Sora had changed his battle tactics.

Naomé had recently returned. She had warned Beast, but he was refusing to fight. Instead, she'd vowed to take it upon herself to defend the castle in Beast's place, and was now back in the Grand Foyer, keeping her vow to the letter. "He won't fight because he's lost his inspiration," She'd explained. "Without Belle here, he's lost all hope!"

This had done it. Sora turned to the servants and ordered them to back away from the door. "We need to let them in!" He directed them. "If it's a fight they want, we'll be ready for them! Now, here's what you need to do…"

Gaston's men had set up a battering ram from an old tree that they'd chopped down and had stripped the branches from. Spurred on by a rousing pep talk from Lefou, the mob banged with military precision at the doors, slowly bashing their way in.

Back on the other side of the doors, Sora and Naomé had set themselves on either side of the brace that was keeping Gaston's men on the outside and them on the inside. Sora was issuing his final instructions to Naomé, his friend and the Second Keybearer.

"Okay, listen carefully. I'm going to flick that bolt back up with my Keyblade, and when I do, I want you to hide behind the door. When all of those crazy lunatics get in here, I'm going to use the Keyblade again and slam the doors shut. We'll spook the living daylights out of them and give the signal to attack. Sound good?"

Naomé nodded, a vicious smile on her face. "Got it! This gonna be great!"

Sora tried not to laugh as he used the Keyblade's ability to open and close doors to fling the deadbolt back. "Get ready! Here we go!"

The battering ram suddenly gave way, sending the doors flying open.

"Good work!" Gaston congratulated his men. "Now, listen well. Take whatever booty you can find in this place, but leave that beast to me! Now, let's get ourselves a castle, men!"

Naomé fought to hold her breath and steady her beating heart as Gaston and the mob entered the Entrance Hall. She tried even harder not to laugh than Sora had only moments before as she could easily see the looks of confusion on the faces of the villagers.

Gaston seemed suspicious. "Something fishy's going on around here…" He growled. "Lefou, get ahead of me. See if we can find whatever it is that I don't like."

Lefou nervously took the lead, torch held high as he slowly looked around. Suddenly, he stopped as he came in front of a polished hardwood table. Did he just see the furniture _move?_

Sora and Naomé peeked their heads around the doors, Sora holding his left hand up in a silent countdown. _Three…_

Gritting her teeth, Naomé nodded in tense acknowledgment.

The Keybearer dropped one of his fingers. _Two…_

Naomé placed her hands against the doors and set herself to throw them closed.

_One…_

The few servants that could "see" without looking like it readied themselves for the attack, silently preparing for the initial strike.

Sora's clenched fist signaled the attack to begin. Both he and Naomé, with the help of Sora's Keyblade, threw the doors shut with a loud _BANG!_

Gaston and his men nearly jumped out of their skins.

"_Charge!_" Naomé and Sora hollered at the top of their lungs as the room burst into light.

Both Gaston's and Sora's "armies" met in the middle of the room in a tangle of improvised weapons and transfigured beings, war cries flying thick and fast and chaos reigning in a heartbeat.

The battle was on!


	23. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Beast's "Miracle"

_Beast's Castle – Mysterious Forest_

Philippe thundered down the trail that he'd taken from Beast's castle back to the village, snorting cold air out of his nostrils as he sensed Belle's heart pounding as hard in her chest as his hooves were striking the ground. Although he could not speak, he was aware of Belle's feelings, as they came out through her riding him. Mentally judging by the way he could feel her clenching the reins and how close down to his back she was, something was obviously troubling her.

Belle _was_ worried, so much so that she was surprised that she was able to think straight at all. _Beast's in danger…the whole castle's in danger…and it's all my fault! This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't returned to the village with Papa! Roxas was right…I should've brought him back to Beast's castle…then this whole thing would've been avoided! Oh, Beast…I'm so sorry! Please, don't worry about me…! Not right now…!_

Roxas was running gamely along, Philippe long gone from his sights. Maurice had joined his daughter on Philippe's back, leaving Roxas behind in a furious burst of speed.

Unfortunately for Roxas, his body was exhausted from the superhuman effort that he'd put into breaking the bolt on the cellar door, and he was now so tired that he could barely keep his feet lifting off of the ground to keep him moving. Occasionally, he stumbled, forced to rely on the KeyStaff as a crutch to hold him upright and not collapse to the ground.

"Roxas! Hey, Roxas Avalon!"

Weary, Roxas saw KazeRyu come to a skidding halt several feet in front of him. Tired, Roxas gave his wolfish friend a welcoming smile. "Kaze…! Boy, am I glad to see you…did you warn Sora?"

KazeRyu shook his head. "No. I saw what had happened to Maurice and came back to the village as fast as I could. Was that them I saw heading into the forest?"

Roxas nodded. "Yes. Gaston's going after Beast…he's-"

"Say no more," KazeRyu replied, grabbing Roxas as he staggered forward. "I saw the mob heading towards the castle. You look exhausted! Are you all right? What happened to you?"

"I'll explain on the way," Roxas said weakly. "I need to get back to the Beast's castle…Sora needs my help…everyone's in danger…"

KazeRyu hoisted Roxas onto his strong back. "Sora needs _our_ help, Roxas," He growled softly. "Hang on tight back there. We shall reach the castle in no time! I found a shortcut on the way back here! We will reach Beast's castle before they do! Hold on, Roxas! Here we go!"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall_

Sora threw himself headlong into one of Gaston's men, knocking the scrawny fool flat on his behind. He struck the man with a hefty blow on the side of the head with the flat of his Keyblade, knocking him senseless. He laughed and yelled over to Naomé, "Hey Naomé! I got another one! That makes six! How many have you got?"

"Make these two six and seven!" Naomé replied, blasting two more men unconscious. She'd picked up one of the wrought iron candelabras she'd used against the Heartless and Nobodies when she'd first arrived in Roslyn Castle, and was now employing both ends to great effect. She turned and flashed Sora a confident smile. "I didn't realize just how much fun taking on a pack of buffoons in breeches would be! This whole 'using weapons to fight with' thing is starting to become more and more fun! I almost like it as much as I like bashing someone's nose in with my knuckles!"

This remark made Sora laugh even harder. "Well, then come over here, Naomé! We can take this pack of clowns on ourselves! Come on! Let's show them what happens when a bunch of fools try to mess with the Keybearers!"

Naomé hesitated for but a fraction of a second, then laughed and sprang into the melee. She threw herself back-to-back with Sora and began whaling away on her foes, with Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Jacques crowding right along with them in a tight circle.

Gaston managed to sneak away from the combat, using the cover of the fight to disguise his retreat into the castle's interior. Beast was a no-show in the defense of his castle, and that made him suspicious of the boy-beast's whereabouts.

_I told those other idiots that I wanted that beast for myself…I won't let anyone, even the creature himself, take that away from me! I will be the one to slay the beast, and I will do it with my bare hands if I have to! One way or another, Belle will be mine!_

_Beast's Castle – Mysterious Forest_

KazeRyu glided noiselessly along the snowy ground, mimicking his wilder cousins in their grace, speed and cunning. He nimbly leapt over a tree root that was poking up out of the snowdrift, using it as a springboard to clear a great distance of ground in a single leap. His shortcut to the castle was indeed a great deal faster, as they were now at least a third of the way ahead of Belle, Maurice, and Philippe.

Roxas felt his strength slowly returning to him. He'd banished his KeyStaff in order to make the going easier for his friend, who'd been more than kind enough to give him a ride so that Sora would have his friend back. Now, his body was so overtired that he was beginning to fall asleep. However, despite how tired he was, he fought with every ounce of willpower he had to stay awake. He needed to be alert and focused before he made it to the castle!

"We are almost to the castle, Roxas," KazeRyu remarked to the Master of the KeyStaff. "It should not be much longer now. And speaking of the devil, would you look at that! You can already see the castle up ahead! We are there!"

Half asleep from exhaustion when he heard that he was close to his destination, Roxas blinked away his dozy state and looked up towards the outskirts of the forest. They were rapidly gaining on the castle gates, which were clearly lit up by a sudden flash of brilliant white lightning.

_Uh-oh,_ Roxas thought. _That isn't good…_

A storm was coming…_fast._

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Hall_

Sora took to the hallways, instincts on high alert and Keyblade drawn close to his body. He'd managed to detect Gaston's attempted escape into the castle from the corner of his eye, and he immediately began to shadow the jealous huntsman in his pursuit of finding Beast's lair.

_Oh, no, you don't,_ Sora thought angrily as he took to hiding behind the pillars throughout the hallways to keep Gaston from spotting him. Cleverly stalking the relentless hunter, Sora employed tricks of stealth and cunning that he'd honed from previous experience, virtually disappearing into the background and appearing to be nothing more than a moving shadow.

_No one sneaks past Sora Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade…!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall_

_Stupid Heartless and Nobodies! Why did you have to show up when Sora's not around to help me defeat you idiots? You _always_ pick the _worst_ times to show up, don't you?_

Naomé punched a Shadow square in the face in frustration, sending it sprawling back away from her. She crossed her candelabra with the lance of a Lance Soldier, suddenly using the candleholders on the top as a type of pitchfork to disarm the thing, leaving it prone to her destroying it. A Soldier charged her down, only to have its brains bashed in by a wild smash to the face with the candelabra.

Lumiere had an interesting trick up his "sleeves." He had cleverly found a way to transform the virtually harmless-looking flames on the candlesticks that formed his "hands" into a blazing inferno just by blowing on them. It was probably part of the enchantress's magic, but it was a trick that made it all worth it. He used his special attack to scorch a Creeper's silvery-white flesh to as black as that of a Heartless, forcing the Nobody to run away in terror. Unfortunately for it, its escape was too slow, as Naomé popped up and squashed it like a bug with a heavy stomp of her booted foot.

A Dusk was attempting to entangle Cogsworth while at the same time trying to dodge away from him, as the boisterous and courageous mantel clock was armed with two pairs of pinking shears that were as sharp as any swords in the castle. He poked and snipped, lashed and clipped at the air around him, fearlessly confronting an enemy that was at least twenty times his size. Another Dusk joined the fray, but it wasn't as intelligent as its counterpart, and was immediately cut up into ribbons by Cogsworth's furious skills.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Gaston had found Beast at last. Hiding in the West Wing and watching the dying rose's last petal wavering in the breeze as it slowly detached itself, Beast didn't even put up a fight when Gaston stormed his chambers. He merely stared at him with sorrowful eyes, not even making a sound or moving an inch as the hunter drew forth a bow and arrow from a quiver that he'd flung on his back before leaving the village.

_This is too easy,_ Gaston thought as he drew, aimed and fired the arrow. His shot was too good…the arrow sliced through the air at the perfect speed, landing with a sickening _thud!_ into the Beast's right shoulder.

Beast roared in agony, gasping as the sting of the arrowhead triggered a reaction in his nerves, intensifying the pain. He roared again as Gaston bulled into him feet first, sending him flying out onto the balcony, where he crashed down on the stony ground, the arrow partially broken off, the headed end still embedded in his shoulder.

Gaston laughed cruelly as he landed just outside the doorway. He roughly kicked Beast in the side. "Get up!" He thundered. "Get up, you monster! Get up and fight me!"

Staggering, Beast tried to rise to his feet, only to have Gaston unleash a club-like attack with his hands clenched together, sending him soaring over the balcony railing and tumbling onto the roof just below him, grunting in pain as the slate tiles struck his wounded shoulder. His going was even tougher, however, due to the fact that rain had started to splatter onto the roof, making the slate slick and difficult to grip with his talons.

Once again, Gaston kicked Beast, making him tumble down the roof to another level below his chamber in the West Wing. He was making his chances for escape (which Beast didn't want to have in the first place) further and further away. The wicked, raven-haired hunter stood triumphantly over the fallen beast-Prince, eyes blazing hatred, an improvised club made from one of the weathered granite overhangs overlooking the ground far below being clenched in his right hand.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Hall_

Sora whirled around a corner in the hallway, pausing just a moment to glance out the windows and up towards the balcony that was attached to Beast's personal chambers. He felt his blood begin to simmer with anger in his veins as he caught a glimpse of Gaston and Beast through one of the dulled windows leading up into the West Wing. He gasped in shock when he saw his transfigured friend knocked half-senseless and sprawled out on the roof. He flinched in sympathy as he saw Gaston heavily kick Beast in the shoulder, and he winced again as he heard Beast's agonized roar. Somehow, Gaston had wounded Beast with that last attack.

Angry, Sora tightened the grip he had on his Keyblade to the point where his knuckles were as white as the snow that'd fallen outside. Gritting his teeth so hard that they were almost fused together, the Master of the Keyblade put on an extra burst of speed as he took the stairs to the West Wing three at a time.

_It won't be long now, Beast…I'm on my way!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall_

Naomé was stuck on the ground, a throng of Dusks forcing her to have to roll about and be unable to use her makeshift staff in order to escape from being kicked to death. She'd jumped up several times, only to find herself sliding back to the ground to stave off a wild slap from a silvery tentacle.

"For crying out loud, you stupid things! Will you get out of my way?" Naomé roared as she tried jumping up for the fifth time in a row. This time, she managed to strike it lucky, as she was able to drive her opponents away from her just enough to be able to use the candelabra as an effective weapon again.

Jacques the rat had come to Naomé's aid in a rather unusual fashion. He'd taken to her back, and was now jumping off of her shoulder with fangs and claws bared. He would land on the face of a Dusk, bite and rend and tear at it to distract it, and then get out of the way just in time to have Naomé finish the confused creature off with a couple of good smacks of the candelabra. He also liked to use his thick tail to wrap around the tapered legs of the Nobodies, tripping them up and making them lose their balance, which would give Naomé yet another attack of opportunity.

One of Gaston's men snuck from behind Naomé, snagging her with a well-timed arm around her neck in a chokehold. Naomé tried to slip out from underneath it, but only made the already tight grip even tighter on her throat. She gagged, then brought the candelabra back and down, smashing the base of the wrought iron improvised weapon directly onto the man's booted foot. When the henchman pulled away in pain, Jacques came flying in at that precise moment, managing to give the man a solid chomp on the nose and rake his enemy's face with his claws. A quick bonk on the head with the candelabra made the battle end quickly, making the man drop into a flaccid heap.

"Thanks, Jacques!" Naomé said gratefully to the rat as she took to the stairs leading up into the interior of the castle. "I'm going after Sora! I think I saw him following Gaston!"

"Please wait for me, Lady Naomé!" Jacques requested. "I should like to join you in your pursuit of Master Sora!" He gave another Dusk a nasty bite, tearing the thing's face open, and then scurried away and scampered up Naomé's leg and back onto her shoulder, where he perched himself quite comfortably.

Naomé smiled at the courageous servant of the Beast. "Thanks for the help! Hang on tight! I'm going to be running pretty fast!"

KazeRyu and Roxas missed seeing Naomé by mere seconds. The celestial werewolf had almost literally kicked the doors down as he charged with SaigaSama drawn and readied into the Grand Foyer, howling a bloodcurdling battle cry.

Roxas tumbled down off of his friend's back, reactivating his KeyStaff in a heartbeat as he threw himself at a throng of Heartless and Nobodies that'd come swooping in for the attack with a terrifying roar. "Here I come, you cowards! You'd better be ready for Roxas Avalon, because I'm sure ready for you!"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Back up on the roof, Gaston had Beast cornered. The transfigured Prince was lying with his back against the rooftop, eyes glazed with pain and outrage. He'd fended off some of Gaston's attacks with sweeping arcs of his paw, but the slick roof had made him lose his footing and fall down once more.

Laughing hideously, Gaston lunged forward and brought his improvised club in a wicked arc, one that would send the Beast toppling over the castle roof with one solid hit to the bottom of the moat below…

_KRANG!_

Beast nearly tumbled back in shock as he saw a key-like weapon partially block out his vision. He looked over to see that Sora was straining with every effort he had to force the jealous hunter's strike back and away from its intended target. "Sora!"

Sora gave Beast a strained grin. "Hiya, Beast. Got yourself in some trouble, have you?" He suddenly threw an extra burst of power into his swing, forcing Gaston to slide backwards several feet and struggle to remain upright on his precarious balance.

Gaston snarled angrily as he readjusted both his stance and his grip. "So, Sora…I _thought_ your name sounded familiar to me…Maleficent told me about you…_Master of the Keyblade._"

"Oh, she did, did she?" Sora sneered. "Did she tell you that I won't give up on my friends until there isn't any hope left, as well? _And_ I bet she didn't forget to mention the fact that I'm always full of surprises, too!" He eyed Gaston coldly. "And what about you? How long have _you_ been friends with the Heartless, _Infiltrator?_"

"Quite a while," Gaston replied, taking a swing at Sora. "Truth be told, I knew where the castle was all along. I was just waiting for the right chance to strike."

Sora was furious. "And you never let Maurice in on your little secret, did you? You intentionally tortured the poor man's heart, the heart of a father, just so you could win on your terms! I didn't like you from the start, Gaston, and I _definitely_ don't like you now! Belle was right to tell me never to trust you, Gaston! And I'm sure glad that I didn't!"

Gaston ducked Sora's Keyblade and whipped out with the club. "You trusted me enough to tell you where Belle's father was."

"Yeah, because I needed to get to him and let him know that Belle was alive!" Sora shot back, sliding in and getting a lucky hit with the Keyblade. He grinned in grim satisfaction as he saw Gaston back away with a hand to his midsection, which now had a nasty gash on it through the burnt reddish-orange tunic. "And besides, what were you going to do if you had beaten Beast, anyway?"

"What do you think, lad?" Gaston scoffed. "Take Belle to Maleficent, of course!"

Sora felt Beast loom up behind him. "And if you did that, then wouldn't you be unable to marry Belle? After all, she'd be your prisoner, not your _wife!_"

"True, but what do you think she would find more comfortable? Being my wife and living in comfort and safety all of her life, or in a castle much like this one and confined to the dungeons?"

The Master of the Keyblade coughed up the insult before he could even think of it. "If I were her, I would prefer living in a dungeon than have you as my husband! At least the dungeon doors would keep me away from _you!_ I'd rather have a pack of Heartless devour my soul than have to worry about the next time you planned on 'devouring' me _body_ and soul!"

Letting go with a roar of insulted fury, Gaston threw himself at the Keybearer, club whistling around from behind him in a circular strike. Sora took up his own charge and met the club halfway with his Keyblade. The force of the stone striking the steel, however, proved to be too much, and Sora gave a frenzied howl of dismay as he got knocked to the ground and had his Keyblade flung away from his hands and out into space towards the moat several stories below.

_My Keyblade…! No…!_

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Hall_

A few floors down, Naomé cursed in furious temper as she saw Gaston bat Sora's Keyblade out of his grasp. _Damn it…! Sora's lost his Keyblade! If it doesn't get caught on something, it'll be too late for anyone to retrieve it and bring it back up to him before Gaston murders him! Unless…_

"Lady Naomé!" Jacques blurted. "That weapon! Isn't that Master Sora's-"

"Keyblade? Yes!" Naomé replied. She ran back towards the other end of the hallway, turned, and then ran along the wall with her shoulder almost touching the surface.

Jacques clawed in anxiety at Naomé's arm. "Lady, what are you doing?"

Naomé flung Jacques off of her shoulder. "Getting Sora's Keyblade back, that's what!" She turned her path on a sharp corner that brought her straight on with the left-hand side of the hall and one of the windows. Then, with an almighty yell, she threw herself at it at her full speed.

Jacques stared in terrified horror as Naomé Meilin Windom went crashing through the glass, disappearing into the storm-ridden night.

Roxas thought he heard glass breaking.

Something inside him had told him to pursue Sora into the castle's interior. Cogsworth, a mantel clock, had told him that Gaston had been seen running up towards the West Wing, where the Beast had been hiding only minutes before. However, Roxas knew from instinct that the hunter would be fully armed to the teeth, and that meant complete with hunter's bow and blade.

_What could that glass be…? Did Beast manage to knock Gaston out of one of the windows…?_

Running over to one of the balconies, Roxas kicked the bay window doors open with a sweep of his foot and blasted his way outside. At the sound of what he thought was Sora screaming, he looked up and felt himself pale in terror.

Naomé, shrouded by shards of broken glass, was flying out of one of the windows on the fifth level in an unstoppable freefall. She reached out as far as she could and did what could only be described as a miracle made by magic and snagged Sora's Keyblade with her fingertips. Roxas stared in awe as Naomé vanished in the flash of her emulation powers, reappearing as Sora's identical twin and hastily casting Aeroga on herself with a flourish of the Keyblade.

Roxas grinned. _That Naomé…what will she think of next?_

Naomé knew that she'd taken an extremely dangerous chance by allowing the "memory" of her transformation into Sora's heart to activate. She recalled, however, that one of the books she'd read in Ansem's Castle had told her that the power of true magic, be it divine or arcane, came from the heart itself. Sora's heart had to have held true magic within it in order to use any spells at all, and this ended up being both a great godsend and her salvation. _I wonder if Sora's ever tried to figure out other uses with his spells…_

Aeroga had indeed slowed her fall tremendously, but she now found herself in another predicament…how to get the Keyblade back to Sora. Aeroga, unfortunately, didn't grant her the powers to fly, so she was now forced to have to figure out where to "land" so she could try and get back up to him.

"Naomé! Over here!"

Puzzled, Naomé's head snapped over in the direction from which she'd head the voice. She laughed in delight, her voice coming out as Sora's. "Roxas! You came back! It's about time!"

Roxas howled with laughter. "I know, _Sora!_ It's been a while! Hurry up and glide your way down here! I'll catch you!"

Naomé almost threw herself down towards the balcony, Aeroga barely keeping her aloft. _Oh, great…the spell's power is wearing out…I'd better hurry…_

_C'mon, Naomé…hurry up!_ Roxas thought as he saw Naomé make a final lunge for the balcony just as Aeroga's power disappeared. He reached out to try and catch her, but she'd thrown herself into the dive with such momentum that she'd been able to safely reach the ledge and crash land into Roxas's waiting arms with very little effort. The timing of the landing, however, had also been perfect, as her emulation powers receded, leaving her in her natural form and on top of her friend.

Naomé grinned sheepishly as she saw Roxas smile playfully at her. "Uh…hello."

"Hello yourself," Roxas replied in a soft whisper. "You okay?"

"Um…yeah…I guess so…" Naomé said, backing away from Roxas so he could stand back up. "Uh…Roxas?"

"Yeah, Naomé?"

"Sorry I kinda…I dunno how to say this, but…ran you over, I guess?"

Roxas shook his head. "Nah, don't apologize. It's all right…no harm done." But then he smiled roguishly at her. "If I had known, however, that you had missed me _that_ much, then I would've brought you flowers."

_SMACK!_

"_Ouch!_" Roxas yelped, flinching as Naomé's hand struck his cheek. "What was that for?"

Naomé laughed. "You dirty flirt! If I didn't know any better, I would've thought you were hitting on me!"

Roxas winced as he rubbed his cheek. "Honestly, I was only joking, but if you're going to hit me _that_ hard, then I won't even consider the possibility of attempting it!"

Frowning, Naomé turned her back on Roxas. "We'll talk about this whole incident later. Right now let's focus on getting Sora's Keyblade back to him! Let's go!"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Sora was angry and frustrated. He'd been ducking and dodging Gaston's club with a precarious sort of balance on his toes, occasionally finding himself slipping to his knees in order to try and save himself. He'd managed to catch Naomé's clever emulation of his heart again, as well as the usage of his "borrowed" magic power to cast Aeroga on herself to slow her fall. _Naomé's one of the smartest women I've ever seen…I think Roxas would be proud to hear this, but the only other one I knew besides Kairi was Naminé…and she was pretty danged smart._

Beast had some of his desire to fight restored to him when Sora had made his miraculous rescuing him from the brink of disaster, but he still didn't pour his whole heart out into it. There just seemed to be something that was holding him back…but what was it?

A nasty swing from Gaston made Sora slide down onto his knees, but the hunter merely stepped over him instead of waiting for the Keyblade Master to get back up and took the battle right to the Beast. He flailed away with the improvised weapon, Beast flicking out with his massive paws and blocking the attacks, only occasionally turning them aside and pressing Gaston back. Hunter and prey battled back and forth this way for several minutes, only to have Sora come thundering back in and tackle Gaston from behind.

"Get off of me, boy!" Gaston thundered, bodily heaving Sora off of his back and down onto the ground. When Sora tried to fight back, Gaston lashed out with a savage roundhouse kick, sending Sora skidding back towards the main body of the castle. The hunter glared icily at his foe. "And stay there until I'm done with the monster! Don't worry, Sora…you'll have your chance to die soon enough."

"Don't count your bodies before they drop, Gaston!"

Turning at the sound of what he believed to be yet another futile interruption, Gaston spun right into Naomé's surprise attack with the Keyblade, the weapon hitting him square across the jaw and laying him out flat. The club went screaming over the side and out of the huntsman's grasp as he'd made Sora's Keyblade do only moments before, out of sight and far out of reach.

Sora sat up. "_Geez,_ Naomé! Do you think you could've timed that any better?"

Naomé flashed Sora an imitation of his quirky grin. "If I had would it have made any more difference?" She flipped the Keyblade around and presented it to Sora hilt first. "I think this belongs to you, my friend?"

Nodding solemnly, Sora took the Keyblade back from the Second Keybearer. "I think it does. Thanks, Naomé. You didn't have to take the risk you did back there."

"No problem, Sora," Naomé replied with a shrug. "Anytime."

But Gaston wasn't finished. Peeling one of the roofing tiles he'd cracked with a swing of his now lost weapon off the roof, the hunter charged the young warrior girl's back down, brandishing the tile like a dagger.

"Naomé!" Roxas yelled. "Watch out! Behind you!"

Swirling, Naomé saw Gaston's sneak attack and went to dodge it. She'd moved as fast as she could on such short notice, but it appeared that she wouldn't be fast enough to be able to and end up being gravely injured, only to have Beast sweep in at the last minute and smack the tile out of Gaston's gloved hands while simultaneously cracking one of his claws in the same hit.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Bridge_

Philippe blasted his way onto the drawbridge like righteous thunder, the wolves of the forest having left him completely alone. He felt Belle release her grip on the reins just slightly, and he instinctively stopped in a heartbeat. Whinnying, he glanced back over his powerful shoulder at his beautiful mistress and snorted impatiently.

But Belle wasn't paying attention. She was staring up at the roof, right in the direction of the West Wing. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Gaston and Beast tangling with one another, along with Sora, Roxas, and Naomé struggling to get in and help the beleaguered Prince. Completely awed at Gaston's show of brute force and Beast's courageous fighting, Belle couldn't help but call out in fear.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

"_Beast!_"

Shocked, Beast felt his pulse quicken in his veins. A rush of adrenaline seized him, and he looked back over his shoulder to see Belle with her father atop Philippe on the drawbridge and looking back up at him. "Belle…!"

Gaston saw his chance. Beast's momentary pause had been enough for him to take a desperate chance. He went to draw his hunting blade out, but only to have Sora blast a Thundaga at his hand and electrocute him. Howling in fury, Gaston threw himself at Sora with both fists swinging…

_BAM!_

Beast had regained his focus in a heartbeat, whipping out with a lanky but muscular arm and smashing Gaston down face first onto the roof. Snarling angrily, the enchanted Prince hoisted Gaston up and out over the gable by his thick neck, leaving the burly man dangling over a hundred feet above the ground, feet kicking at empty air.

Gaston felt an icy claw of fear run up and down his spine. He grappled with Beast's massive paw, eyes popping in terror. He screamed for mercy. "No…! Please…, don't hurt me…! Let me go…! I'll do anything…! Anything, do you hear me? _Anything!_"

_Kill him!_ The thought raced through Beast's mind at ninety million miles an hour, making him react out of instinct. Growling even more savagely, Beast took a hold of Gaston's body and prepared to snap him like a twig. He allowed the pain and anger that he felt from his arrow wound in his shoulder to well up and focus itself into his grasp, tightening his already straining sinews until the veins virtually bulged beneath his fur, making the tendons in his arms, neck and shoulders pop into view like thick, knotted cords.

"Beast, no!"

Stunned, Beast felt his rage snap. He glanced back to see Naomé standing behind him, the wild wind that'd suddenly sprung up blowing her hair away from her face. He stared at her, unsure of what she was telling him.

Naomé shook her head slowly, gray eyes reflecting the coming maelstrom. "Don't do it, Anton," She whispered, speaking Beast's true name. "Don't do it…it's not what Belle would want you to do…"

Sora stared in awe at Naomé. _Naomé…? What are you thinking…?_

"Anton?" Roxas said, letting the strange name roll off his tongue. He looked at Sora, completely perplexed. "Who's-"

"That's Beast's real identity," Sora replied. "Anton. Prince Anton of the Verain."

"Oh," Roxas said, glancing back at his transformed friend. "Well, whatever Beast's going to do, he'd better make his mind up and fast. Gaston's not gonna wait forever."

Sora grunted. "Darned right he isn't."

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – Entrance Hall_

Belle ran into the castle, long since abandoned by Gaston's cronies. She took the stairs in the Entrance Hall three at a time, memory tracing the quickest route back to the West Wing and where Beast was. She was about to take the next turn and start heading down towards the stairs when she suddenly heard a ferocious snarl behind her.

_Beast couldn't have come down here that quickly…besides, why would he be angry with me?_

Spinning around, Belle gasped in horror.

It wasn't Beast.

The monstrous Heartless that'd once haunted the South Wing and had hunted Naomé and Sora at one point or another glared evilly at the Princess of the Heart, baring its shadowy fangs in a hungry smile at her as it drank in the possibility to devour her pure Light essence whole for itself. Its golden amber-yellow eyes burned with malice as it lunged at her, baring its shadowy talons and letting out a monstrous hissing howl of murderous glee.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

A scream from within the castle made Sora jump. He, Roxas and Naomé all looked down to see Belle running along one of the outside crossways leading towards the West Wing with the shadow beast following closely behind her. She looked back up at them, gasping for breath as she fought her way towards the doors that lead to the West Hall.

Naomé took off at a dead run, Roxas following right beside her. "You worry about Gaston, Sora! Let Roxas and I handle this thing! Don't let that hunter get away with anything!"

Sora could only blurt out his acknowledgement of the command as the Second Keybearer and the Master of the KeyStaff headed back to the balcony to Beast's chambers and began ascending the multiple steeply sloped levels of the roof like slippery stairs. Turning his focus back to Beast and Gaston, he watched as Beast continued to wrestle with his desire to kill and Anton's desire to listen to Naomé and grant Gaston leniency.

Beast pondered why he was feeling the way he was. Naomé's words had somehow made perfect sense to him. Belle _wouldn't_ want him to kill for her sake…wouldn't she? He stared long and hard at Gaston, glanced down to the empty moat below and how Gaston's body was in perfect alignment to go dropping straight down into it and get crushed alive. He could almost hear the huntsman's scream of terror, and it was becoming a sweeter and sweeter sound to him with every passing second that he kept his mind trained on that one grim, dark thought.

"Don't do it, Anton," Sora said, mysteriously finding himself repeating Naomé's words. "Don't do it…it's not what Belle would want you to do…"

Beast found himself doing what Naomé and now Sora had said would be the "right thing" and bringing Gaston back to the safety of the roof. He slowly lowered Gaston to his knees, glaring angrily right into his face. Gritting his fangs, eyes blazing with both primitive and royal temper, he spat out the two words that made the most perfect sense to him, the words that wrapped up all his hatred and mercy at once:

"_Get out._"

With that said, Beast released his iron-clawed grasp on the trembling Gaston, letting the hunter collapse into a limp heap on the roof.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Hall_

KazeRyu scaled his way up the side of the castle, SaigaSama being his grappling hook. He'd come running back from the forest after chasing down and destroying the last of Gaston's mob, but he had immediately noticed Gaston's absence amongst the throng of marauders. Concerned, the celestial werewolf had returned to Roslyn Castle as fast as his feet could possibly carry him, and had arrived just in time to hear Belle's scream of fear.

Taking his talons to a broken windowsill, KazeRyu flung himself into the third floor of the castle and began letting his nose guide him to the West Wing. He needed to get there as fast as he possibly could if he wanted to save Belle from the Heartless that was pursuing her.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing - Bridge_

"Out of the way, Belle! Your heroes are here!"

"Naomé! Roxas! Thank goodness!" Belle gasped as she slid in behind her friends and dropped to the ground in exhaustion. Naomé leaped ahead of her and assumed a fighting stance, while Roxas stood before them both with his KeyStaff readied and glaring angrily at the massive Heartless that was charging him down.

The Second Keybearer glanced back at the Princess of the Heart. "Belle! Get inside the castle! Quickly! Head up to the Beast's chambers and don't come down! He needs you!"

Gasping for air, Belle jumped back up to her feet and ran as fast as she could into the West Wing, almost flying up the stairs as she rapidly approached the hallway to Beast's chambers.

Back on the Bridge, Roxas had finally managed to get the Heartless to stop. He gritted his teeth as the thing locked its shadowy talons around his KeyStaff. "Naomé! What in the name of Kingdom Hearts is this thing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Naomé fired back as rain started to fall once more. "It's a Heartless!"

"I know _that!_" Roxas retorted. "Did you and Sora see this thing while you were here?"

"Yes!" Naomé replied. "It was in the South Wing! I guess it must've moved because something's wrong! I don't know what it could be, but I don't think it's worth worrying about right now! Just focus your energy on getting rid of the monstrosity, would you? That thing almost _killed me_ once!"

"It almost _what?_" Roxas thundered. His eyes began to gleam with an intense battle light, the intensity that had once only been known to burn in Sora's steely-eyed gaze. Furious at the thought that this shadowy creature had almost killed his friend, Roxas felt a surge of power rush through him, making him suddenly fling the Heartless away from him with a deft twirl of the KeyStaff. He snapped an order like a thunderclap. "Naomé! Get in the West Wing!"

"_What?_"

"You heard me! Go back inside! Do exactly what you just told Belle!"

"And what about you?" Naomé snapped.

Roxas kicked the shadow beast in the face. "Never mind me! I can take care of myself! Just you worry about getting yourself someplace safe! I won't let this thing go after you anymore! Just trust me and do as I say!" He whirled around and locked eyes with Naomé. "_Now, Naomé!_"

Naomé realized Roxas was trying to do what he felt was right. Telling Roxas a hasty "be careful," Naomé reluctantly fled into Beast's castle, the sound of Roxas combating the Heartless echoing in her ears as another blast of thunder tore the heavens apart.

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Sora and Beast had taken to scaling their way back up the outside of the West Wing, the yelling of commands from Naomé and Roxas urging them back up even faster. Belle was back inside the castle…everything was going to be all right…

Beast clawed his way up as fast as his tired and injured body would allow him to, the thought of seeing Belle again making him almost howl with glee. Focusing on his moment when he would be able to tell her the truth, he almost bolted his way back up the side of his castle like chain lightning.

_Belle…I'm coming…!_

Naomé and Belle lunged into Beast's chambers, almost tripping over the tangle of objects that blocked their path to the balcony outside. The rain was really starting come down now, bouncing like tiny diamonds off the pitted granite and occasionally finding their way into the room itself. The tattered crimson curtains floated softly in the breezes, an occasional gust making them crack like sails on a ship.

"Everything should be all right now, Belle," Naomé explained as she shut the doors. "Any minute now, Beast and Sora are going to come back up over that balcony, and then-"

"_Beast!_" Belle cried happily as she saw Beast's hairy paw come over the top of the balcony and grab a hold of the railing. She ran to him as he pulled himself up over the top, his great face bright with a handsome expression. "You're all right!"

Despite his aching shoulder, Beast smiled. "Of course I am…did you think I'd let that fool finish me off?" He surprised Belle with a hug. "I'd never let somebody get the best of me."

Naomé smiled and shook her head. "What did I tell you, Belle? I _told you_ everything would be all right, didn't I?"

"Boy, you must be psychic or something, Naomé!" Sora remarked as he dragged himself up onto the bottom of the balcony floor. He smiled at her from behind the stone columns that held up the railing as he prepared to grab the railing itself. "You're on a roll! First the clue in the garden, then the hunch about Gaston being the bad guy, and now your prophesizing Beast's and my sudden appearance on the balcony! You're pretty damn good, woman!" He gave a strangled yelp of shock as his foot slipped off the edge. "Whoa! Phwoo…that was a little too close there…"

The Second Keybearer blushed. She'd never had somebody compliment her quite the way Sora had just done, and it honestly made her a trifle nervous. "Well…uh, thanks! I…uh…think…anyway," She stuttered, fighting to keep her tongue in control. She instead leaned over the railing and offered her hand to the Keybearer. "Here, at least let me help you up."

Sora smiled back. "All right. Thanks."

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing - Bridge_

Roxas was forced back further and further along the bridge, his Heartless foe pushing him right up until his back was against the door Naomé and Belle had gone in. As he held his KeyStaff out in front of him like a shield, Roxas Avalon caught motion out of the corner of his eye. He gasped in shock and anger when he saw what it was: Gaston was climbing the castle's face, and he had his hunting knife drawn!

"Sora!" Roxas hollered. "Watch out! Gaston's coming! He's going to stab Beast!"

_Beast's Castle – Roslyn Castle – The West Wing_

Sora, unfortunately, was too far away to hear Roxas, and it made it next to impossible to hear him as an especially loud clap of thunder nearly deafened him. He did, however, notice Roxas had suddenly vanished from the bridge, and that only seconds later the shadow beast was getting a taste of the heavy wrought iron-reinforced door as it was forcibly kicked into its face.

_Ouch! That looked like it _really_ hurt!_ Sora thought as he fought to get his footing on the balcony. Gritting his teeth as his feet slipped for the third time, he finally managed to get his shoes to grip the right way and began to pull himself up…

Suddenly, Beast's agonized roar almost deafened him again. Whirling around, he saw Gaston behind the Beast, his long and razor-sharp hunting knife plunged up to the hilt in Beast's unprotected left side. He could easily tell by the angle of the knife that it'd been a direct thrust up into his lower torso, possibly hitting the bottom of his heart or lungs.

Belle screamed in terror. Naomé came rushing out onto the balcony just as Sora bodily grabbed Gaston by the shoulders and hurled the hunter backwards, the knife spinning out of his hand and to the depths below.

"Come here, you murdering little son of a…!" Sora snarled, yanking Gaston away from Beast's back and throwing him back down towards the roof. The force of his power, though, was so strong that he almost threw himself off the balcony, as well…that is, if Naomé and the racing like a juggernaut Roxas hadn't grabbed his left arm and jacket and tugged him back against the railing with enough force to knock the wind out of him.

Beast gasped out another warning through clenched fangs. "Belle…behind you…"

Naomé turned instead of Belle. She gasped in horror, her eyes going wide, the color drained from her face, and her voice went into a high-pitched shriek as she saw what Beast was warning them about. "The shadow beast! Sora! The shadow beast's coming after us! It's gonna knock us off of here!"

Sora yanked himself up single-handedly onto the balcony railing and Summoned his Keyblade. He lunged forward just as the Heartless flew at him in turn, both howling furious battle cries…

Suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, KazeRyu came screaming into the fray, talons digging into the shadow beast's back. Naomé and Roxas yanked Sora to the ground as celestial werewolf and Heartless went sailing over them, the creature of Darkness getting flung over the side and after its Infiltrator superior. Shadowy hiss mingled with horrified scream, until both fell silent. In seconds, only the echo of the wind, an occasional clap of thunder, and the driving rain remained of that horrible battle.

Beast's paw was stained with his blood from trying to plug up his wound. Wincing in agony, he tried to plant his feet, only to have his knees buckle out from beneath him and send him toppling to the ground with a heavy _thud!_ He tried to crawl over to Belle, but only got halfway across the balcony before he didn't even have the strength to barely lift his eyes from off the ground. "Belle…you came back…"

"_No!_" Everyone screamed.

Belle threw herself down at Beast's side, tears streaming down her face and mingling with raindrops. She cradled Beast's head in her hands. "Oh, Beast…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…!"

"Don't be…" Beast gasped out. "You…you had to help your father…I would've if I'd been you…" He trained his blurring vision on Belle. "Belle…why did you come back…?"

"I came back because you're my friend!" Belle exclaimed. "Why? Should I have stayed away and not help you when you needed me the most? That's not what friends do, Beast!"

Beast shook his head with a tremendous effort. "It doesn't matter anymore…at least I got to see you…one last time…"

"Don't talk like that!" Belle scolded him gently. "Everything's going to be all right…"

Naomé choked on a sob, eyes glassy and chest tight with emotion. She fought to stifle another sob, only to find Roxas had suddenly taken her into his arms and was pulling her face into his shirt. "Oh, Roxas…he's not going to make it, isn't he?" She sobbed. "He's going to die, isn't he?"

Roxas shook his own head and tried to not cry himself. "Beast? Kick the bucket? Nah. He's made of tough stuff, that one. He won't give up that easily. H won't let a scratch like that take him out."

"Well, maybe he has a reason to," Sora remarked gloomily. "Look behind us."

All four adventurers turned around. The rose in the bell jar on the marble tabletop was just about dead, the last petal wavering in an unseen breeze, its beautiful vibrant reddish-rose color slowly dulling to a deep, dead crimson.

Naomé choked on another sob. "Oh, no…the rose…it's dying…"

Roxas understood Sora's words. "Maybe dying would be the best, after all. That way, he won't have to deal with being a beast forever. It is said that forever begins when the end is reached. If this is true, then reaching the end first would mean that forever would never begin."

"Who told you that?" KazeRyu asked slowly.

"King Mickey…" Roxas replied reverently. "King Mickey told me that…"

Sora bowed his head in silent respect for the King of Kingdom Hearts, his own heart reminding him that he'd been taught that lesson, as well. _King Mickey believed in everyone that fought the Darkness…even those who didn't have a Keyblade to fight with…I always wished I could be like him…I hope that I'll learn from those lessons someday…_

Beast struggled to keep his eyes open and to continue to draw breath. He gave Belle a final, weak but brave smile. "I love you…"

"What…?" Belle gasped. "Beast, what did you just say?"

It was too late. Beast's head slipped out of Belle's hands and hit the ground, where it remained still. He exhaled one last time, his final breath brushing Belle's hair away from her tearstained face.

Sora felt his soul plummet. "No…no…Beast, no…you can't…you just can't…!"

Naomé virtually vanished into Roxas's jacket, sobbing uncontrollably. "He's gone, Roxas…he's gone…there's no bringing him back…we were too late to help him…" She felt her heart breaking. "He's gone…just like my father…just like my Daddy…"

Roxas also felt his heart breaking. He gathered Naomé even closer and tried to hide her completely from the eyes of the World. "I know, Naomé…he's gone…just like my Mommy and Daddy are, too…" He let his tears fall, streaking his exhausted features with tear trails. Somehow, despite the pain he was witnessing and feeling, it oddly felt good to be holding his friend close. Something about Naomé always seemed to bring out the old Roxas in him…the Roxas that was still in love with Naminé.

Belle got up close to the Beast's body. "No…please…please, don't leave me…Beast!" She planted a tender, loving kiss on his cheek. "Don't leave me, Beast…I love you!"

As she spoke, the last petal of the rose released its hold on the stem and fluttered weakly to the tabletop. The withered but still green stem lost its magical sparkle, shriveling away into a dead stalk, turning dark brown in color. The radiant light the rose had emitted from within the jar faded away, and the stem crumpled lifelessly amongst the dead, wrinkled petals.

Sora hung his head in defeat. Naomé had been right yet again…they _had_ been too late to save Beast from his fate.


	24. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The Healing Rain

_Beast's Castle - Roslyn Castle - West Wing_

It seemed the Heart of Beast's Castle was grieving for its fallen Beast-Prince, as the rain came pouring down in crystal-clear droplets and would strike Beast's face in mourning. Occasionally, a seemingly magical sparkle of multi-colored light would emanate from one of them, but it really wasn't that impressive.

Sora silently cursed vehemently as he vainly searched the rainy skies for answers. He couldn't understand why things had gone so terribly wrong. Here he was, taking his first step in trying to set things right in Kingdom Hearts for once and for all, and now a horrible setback had just occurred. He cursed himself for his lack of vigilance in the last few seconds of their battle with Gaston. If he'd paid more attention, then maybe Beast wouldn't have been attacked. And, if he'd been keeping an eye on his surroundings, he might've sensed the danger beforehand.

A great sigh seemed to escape from Sora, almost like the chilly breeze that'd sprung up to brush the rain aside as one of the curtains behind him. The cloudy skies, depressing gray of the castle, and the pouring rain brought revived the memories that'd been buried in Sora's brain for many years. Closing his eyes, Sora allowed his memories to come to the forefront of his mind, blocking the pain he was feeling in a blur of imagery.

He was back in Hollow Bastion eleven years ago, and he'd been looking for Donald and Goofy after they'd been separated by a horde of Heartless that were guarding the gates to Ansem's Castle. As a final touch, Maleficent had blasted Sora into a chasm in hopes of sending him falling to his death and thus escaping the chance that he would find her. Unfortunately for her, he'd managed to hang on by a stroke of luck, left hanging in mid-air as he'd watched the Heartless that'd attacked him fall hissing and screeching past him to _their_ deaths in the bottomless pit below his feet. After he'd pulled himself out of the canyon, he (almost literally) ran into Beast, who was searching for Belle, who at the time was being held prisoner in Ansem's Castle by the Infiltrators.

Despite his initial apprehension of Beast's terrifying form and gruff nature, Sora had become rather close with the transfigured Beast-Prince, mainly due to the fact that he had to rely on him because his Keyblade had mysteriously disappeared from his possession and had left him with a useless wooden sword (what luck!). When he'd last seen him at that point, they hady found Belle and had freed her and the other Princesses from Maleficent's clutches. Beast had left with Belle to return to here, their home World.

Time fast-forwarded one year. Sora was entering Beast's Castle for the very first time. He'd learned from Donald and Goofy on their way there that this was where Belle and the Beast lived together, here in Roslyn Castle. He was excited to see Beast again, to thank him for all of his help the year before in Hollow Bastion.

The Beast he initially met was not the one he remembered. He had turned into a cold, angry, animal-like monster, focused on only protecting the enchanted rose with translucent petals that was his only salvation, the rose that was behind him now in the present day, wilted, withered, and dead. After a lengthy and difficult process of restoring Beast to his senses, Sora had asked him why he'd changed. He'd learned that Xaldin, a member of Organization XIII, had been brainwashing Beast in hopes of turning him into a Heartless so as to take the power of his heart to restore his own. When Sora challenged him, Xaldin ran rather than fought.

A sudden sound made Sora's eyes snap open. He looked over at Roxas, who was still holding Naomé. He noticed the look on Roxas's face had become hard and cold, his eerie crystal blue eyes locked on a distant object and yet glistening with unshed tears of rage and grief. It didn't take Sora two seconds to realize exactly what Roxas was looking at, too…he was looking at the Bridge, which in spite of the rain could be seen clearly through the pillars that held up the railing of the balcony.

Sora had no idea just how right he was. Roxas _was_ staring at the Bridge, recalling a fateful night long ago in his painful past. Xaldin reappeared in Beast's Castle shortly after his fiancée, Naminé Windom, had been kidnapped. Sora, Donald, and Goofy had challenged Xaldin to save Belle and the enchanted rose from Xaldin's possession.

Roxas's teeth locked together like the jaws of a bear trap as he recalled what he'd learned that night from Xaldin. After the Organization XIII member had been defeated, Roxas had rushed across the Bridge, full of vengeful wrath and heartbreak. He could hear himself snarl like a scorched tiger as he took the edge of the Bridge to Xaldin's back, yelling in he Organization member's face with the fury of a hurricane.

_Where is my fiancée, Xaldin? Tell me where she is!_

_Your fiancée…? Oh, wait a minute…that pretty little girl my master has locked up in the dungeons back in his castle…is _that_ who you're talking about, Roxas?_

_Don't play stupid, Nobody! You _know_ I'm talking about her! Where is she?_

Sora had tried to stop him. _Roxas! Stop! This isn't going to get you the answers you want! Torturing Xaldin isn't going to help!_

_Oh, I'll get the answers I want…because I won't let him die until he tells me! I'm not torturing him, Sora…I'm just trying to force him to talk!_ He had tightened his grip on Xaldin's body, not to mention had pushed him further over the edge that overlooked the moat far below. _Now, tell me where my fiancée is, Xaldin, and I _might_ just let you live!_

Xaldin's breath had been growing shallow, the damage caused by the injuries he'd gained in his battle with Sora, Donald, and Goofy finally taking their hold on his empty soul and broken body. _You might let me live, Roxas? That's kind of you, since I'm about to die anyway. You want to know where your precious little fairy-tale princess is, do you? Fine, then. I'll tell you…_

Roxas had roughly shoved Xaldin's body into the Bridge again, making the dying Nobody gasp in shock. _Don't you _dare _die on me, you bloodthirsty fool! Cough up what you know about Naminé, and _then_ you can go to the Underworld!_

_I'm going that way already, so your threats have no power. Anyway, my master has your dearly beloved wench locked up in a nice, dark, dank, little room in his castle. She's staying there as an honored guest of my Lord._

The insult of "wench" had made Roxas's anger boil over. He'd slammed Xaldin for another time into the Bridge. _I'm not gonna ask you again, Xaldin! No more games and petty insults! Where in the heck is Naminé Sakura Windom?_ He'd given the Organization member a rough shake. _Answer me!_

Roxas remembered Xaldin's teasing smile, almost as if he were enjoying his last moments alive. _Don't worry, little Roxas…you'll have your chance to be Prince Charming soon enough. Your "princess" is a brave one, though…she is the first woman I have ever seen to never show fear. But, my Lord knows how to make her know the true meaning of pain. If you want to spare her suffering, then you'd better move quick. My master's patience doesn't last very long…_

_Mine doesn't either, Xaldin,_ Roxas had replied. _You've told me enough. You've served your purpose for me. Now, it's time for you to go and prepare a place in the fires of the Underworld for your "master," because _that's_ where he's going when I get my hands on him!_

Then, before Sora could stop him, Roxas did the first intentionally violent act of his life. With an angry growl similar to Beast's, Roxas Avalon had gathered Xaldin up in as tight of a ball as his fifteen-year-old body would allow, and then he savagely hurled the dying Organization XIII member over the side of the Bridge, the terrified scream echoing long after the body had fallen into the Moat at least fifty feet below.

Sora had come up next to him, partially angered and partially awed. _Gods, Roxas…you _killed_ him! I never thought I'd ever witness another person kill someone! That was kind of creepy! Do you feel better, though?_

Roxas remembered that he'd shaken his head. _No. The anger's not as strong as it was, but it's still there. I won't stop being angry until Naminé's safe in my arms and back home in Twilight Town. I won't stop until I bring her home…even if I'm too late…_

_I know exactly what you mean,_ Sora had replied to him. _I won't stop, either. I know my friends are out there somewhere, and I won't stop until either I find them, or I find out what happened to them. And _if _they're dead, Xemnas is gonna pay with _his_ life!_ Sora had then turned and look at him. _And if something awful happens to Naminé, Heaven forbid, then Xemnas will pay for _her_ death, as well. I promise you, Roxas…you're not in this alone…_

Naomé looked up at Roxas and watched his expression go from anger to sorrow. She could tell he was reliving some painful memory because his face was purely clouded with a haunted appearance. Also, he wasn't looking at where the Beast was laying, which meant he was certainly distracted. She hugged him a little tighter to reassure him, and then turned and looked over at Beast and Belle.

Belle was slumped over Beast's limp form, tears streaming down her face as she choked on her grief. She spoke not a word but merely clung to him, almost as if she were begging his spirit to return with her embrace. The slight wind that'd sprung up from the storm whipped at her and Beast, brushing hair and fur aside and flicking cape and cloak about like the tattered pennants that hung high atop the various towers of Roslyn Castle. It was almost as if the World was trying to comfort the grieving Princess of the Heart.

Roxas thought he heard something. He looked down to see that Naomé had buried herself back in his shirt and jacket, and she, too, was sobbing bitterly. He knew what was on her mind without a moment's thought: she was thinking about her father and when she'd found out he'd died fourteen years ago. He could feel her shaking with heartbreak, and so he cradled her close and began to gently stroke her hair, which was becoming wet with the rain. He blinked as a particularly large specimen plopped straight into his eyes and blended with the tears that'd sprung into them at the thought of his painful memories.

The Second Keybearer turned her gaze back up at the Master of the KeyStaff, who was looking back down at her with a sad smile. "What is it, Roxas? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Everything," Roxas replied with a half-hearted shrug. "My whole life's a wreck, and it's by watching Belle with Beast that I see just how awful it truly is to lose someone you love. I've lost three people, though: My parents recently, and my fiancée ten years ago."

"Yes, but you should feel better knowing that you did what any good son or future husband would do and go after the ones you love. You did the right thing by going back, regardless of what would meet you at the end. You did what was right."

Roxas fought to control his mixed emotions, the two biggest ones being grief and anger. "I know. And, I know they knew I was doing what I felt was right. But, you know what, Naomé?"

"What?"

"Somehow…I feel like I abandoned them."

"I don't think you did," Replied Naomé. "I'm sure that, wherever they are, they understand. Don't feel too bad…at least you know that they loved you, Roxas. That thought made me feel better after I'd learned my father died."

"Really?"

"M-hm."

Roxas held Naomé as close as he possibly could. He smothered her in his embrace, as if he were hugging a teddy bear. "Naomé?" He whispered in her ear.

Naomé smiled. "Yeah?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

Fighting the tears that wanted to escape him, he crushed the Second Keybearer into his body and shielded her from the rain as best as he could. "I know it's going to sound strange, but will you just hold me? Please? I just need something to hold on to."

Naomé smiled again. "You bet," She said, gratefully accepting his embrace with her own. She held on as tight as she could, allowing herself to relax. Smiling bravely, she looked up at Roxas and gave him a sheepish shrug. "Besides, isn't that what friends are for? Aren't they to be there for you whenever you need them?"

"I guess you're right," Roxas choked. "Thanks."

"No problem."

KazeRyu glanced over at Roxas and Naomé. He smiled as he saw the two of them try to comfort each other as they both agonized over their own internal torment that wracked their hearts to the point of becoming unbearable. _Now that is what I call a good friend,_ He thought. But then, he turned his gaze back to Belle and the Beast. He sighed as his own memory took him back in time.

He'd known the Verain family longer than anyone in Kingdom Hearts. His duties as the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts meant that he had a connection with every single royal family in Kingdom Hearts, including that of King Mickey. He'd known many a descendant of all those lines, and the line of the Verain was no exception.

Many years ago, Prince Anton's father, King Hendrick, had voiced his concerns to the celestial werewolf warrior about Anton's selfish and cold heart. As a young child, Anton had shown promise of being just like his father. However, the untimely death of his mother, Queen Rosalynde, had brought about a negative change in the young heir. Anton had become cruel and unforgiving, almost, as King Hendrick had put it, "animal-like." He was worried that the horrific attitude change would most certainly bring about disaster on his poor son's head.

The death of King Hendrick had horribly scarred Prince Anton. However, since he was not married, he could not rightfully claim the title as the King of his World and Lord of his family. This had made the Prince only more bitter and angry, and turned him into an even more hostile and spiteful person. KazeRyu had watched him become distant and develop a nasty, short-fused temper.

KazeRyu had stayed away from Beast's Castle for several years, mainly due to the initial issues with the Darkness trying to surface, the other because of the hostile environment Anton had made because of his severe depression. He had often wondered how the Prince was able to have any company at all.

However, when he was finally able to return, he hadn't been surprised to see that King Hendrick's concerns about disaster striking his only son had been almost prophetic. Anton had been changed into a terrifying beast that was truly horrific in appearance, all because he'd deceived by an enchantress that'd turned herself into an old woman to beg shelter from a winter storm. His dark heart had, like his father had dreaded, doomed him.

Anton had begged KazeRyu to help him find a way to break the curse that'd been placed upon him. He'd explained what the enchantress had said about the rose and the power it held over the curse. KazeRyu remembered the exact words of their discussion. _How long have you got?_

_The rose will bloom until my twenty-first year. If I can learn to love another, and earn her love in return before the last petal falls, then the spell will be broken. If I cannot, then I am doomed to remain this horrible beast forever._

_That is a terrible destiny indeed. I can feel for your plight, Your Majesty. However, what is it that you require of me in regards to this curse that you could have prevented but have so rightfully brought upon yourself?_

Anton had become rather annoyed. He'd bared his fangs at KazeRyu as he began to make his plea. _You don't have to remind me that I brought this on myself, Wind Dragon. But, perhaps you can find a way to break this horrid enchantment? If you can, I would be eternally grateful. I do not want to be this…this…_creature_ for the rest of my life! If I do not die not long after the last petal falls, then I will take my own life before the rose truly dies! I couldn't stand to see myself like this forever!_

_Then you had best begin searching, Your Highness._

_What? What does that mean?_

_It means that I cannot help you._

This phrase had made the Beast-Prince roar with outrage. He had cleared his chamber in three leaping bounds and had gotten ahead of KazeRyu, who'd been preparing to leave. He'd slammed his heavy paw-like hand against the door, whamming it shut from its partially open position. _You _can't_ help me, or you _won't_ help me?_ He'd snarled, eyes gleaming with royal fury beneath bushy eyebrows.

_I cannot help you in the way that you ask. I can protect you, I can provide you with counsel, but I cannot find your answers for you. Unfortunately, young Master Anton, it is you who must help yourself. I am afraid my paws are tied. I may be the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts, but I cannot just randomly begin helping Worlds. I must be fair to all, and I have learned that the best way to do that successfully is to remain impartial._

_Impartial?_ Anton had echoed in disbelief. He'd snorted in disgust and glared icily at KazeRyu. _Ignore your responsibilities, more like._

KazeRyu had become the angry one. In a surprising move, he'd whirled Anton around and slammed his back against the door he'd been blocking. The celestial werewolf warrior recalled his own words as vividly as if he'd just said them. _I have _never_ ignored my duties as the Guardian of Kingdom Hearts! I have been protecting all the Worlds since before even your earliest ancestors were born! It is that I have learned that I cannot "meddle" in the affairs of the Worlds. I am immortal, I cannot die! Can you only imagine what Kingdom Hearts would be like were I to interfere with everything for all eternity?_

_There wouldn't be enchantresses transforming men into monsters!_

_No! The perfection brought about my eternal rule would only cause more problems! Everything would be too perfect, and that could cause a lot of trouble if left unchecked! I must balance the powers of Light and Darkness in the Hearts of _all_ Worlds, not just one or two, and _certainly_ not just the heart of one citizen!_

_So, what are you suggesting that I do?_

KazeRyu had released his hold on Anton. Then, gently pushing the Beast-Prince aside, he opened the door and took a step around it. He was just about to disappear into the West Wing when Anton called out to him.

_KazeRyu! Wait!_

The celestial werewolf warrior Guardian of Kingdom Hearts had turned around and had poked his head in the door. _Yes? _Anton looked desperate. _But, KazeRyu…who could ever learn to love a beast?_

In response, KazeRyu turned back into the West Wing and began to walk away. _You must find the answer to that question yourself._ He'd given Anton a stiff bow from the waist up before disappearing completely from the Beast-Prince's sights._ Your servant, Your Highness._

Anton's howl of dismay echoed all the way to the border of his World as KazeRyu had left Roslyn Castle and its beastly ruler behind. He'd merely sighed and had shook his head. _Mortals and their various faults and vices are quite annoying at times,_ He'd told himself. _Anton, you brought this bane upon yourself. Like I told you, I cannot help you find what you seek. You must discover the truth behind the enchantress's words for yourself. You have been given time, at least…the only thing is, how you are going to spend that time?_

Years later, KazeRyu had heard news about Anton and his sudden glimmer of hope in a young girl from the nearby Sophia Rosé Village. This girl, Belle, was one of the "Princesses of Heart." That meant her heart held a piece of the Great Light of Kingdom Hearts within itself, making her special and powerful. Also, it put her at risk of being detected by the Infiltrators, who at the time had been the only users of Darkness known to exist. Therefore, he surmised, the World of Beast's Castle, and Belle in particular, deserved extra monitoring.

KazeRyu had met Belle a few years ago, back before he'd sought out the truth of the legend of the Second Keybearer. The sight of the Princess of the Heart had made him believe that Anton finally had a chance not only to break the spell, but to truly change and become the man that his father would've wanted him to. He knew that King Hendrick would've been proud.

But now, as he saw the Beast-Prince lying lifeless on the cold stone of the balcony to his personal chamber, with the woman that he'd put all his faith in there trying desperately to save him despite it being too late, he knew he'd failed. He realized with a bitter disgust that, despite his best efforts to save Anton from the horrific fate of being a beast forever, the young Prince's long-ago words of finding a way to die before the last petal fell had become almost as prophetic in nature as King Hendrick's "prediction" had been years before that.

Although he was not much for asking Kingdom Hearts for help, KazeRyu felt that he needed to atone somehow for his unexpected failure. He looked up at the rain-filled skies, as though pondering what went wrong, but instead spoke in a silent plea to the one he was forever invested with the protection of. After all, he felt that he owed it to Anton, and especially to Belle.

_Kingdom Hearts, I never ask much of You. However, I feel I must this time. I have failed in protecting someone that has been a key in Your protection. I understand he was the victim of a curse he brought upon himself because of his selfish heart, but he has changed. He fulfilled the conditions on which to break the enchantment the moment of his death, and now he will never have the chance to live out his freedom. He has earned his freedom, Kingdom Hearts. All I ask for is him to have what he desired…his happily ever after._

Sora felt awful as he watched Belle with Beast. He closed his eyes and turned away, unable to look at the heartbreaking sight anymore…

A sudden sound, like the thrum of a firefly as it goes buzzing past one's ear, caught the Master of the Keyblade's attention. Turning back around, he was amazed to hear the sound again, this time being associated with one of the sparkling raindrops that'd occasionally been falling as it streaked through the sky. It hit the balcony and scattered into a myriad of tiny lights, almost like shards of a fallen star.

"Roxas," Sora said, barely able to speak. "Look! The rain!"

His friend barely heard him. Looking up, Roxas caught another one of the drops hitting the ground and shattering like a tiny orb of light. _Whoa!_ He thought. _What in the heck was that? That almost looked like a shooting star! Naomé's gotta see this!_

Roxas gently tapped Naomé's shoulder to get her attention. When she looked at him, he pointed to the balcony. "Look at that, Naomé. The rain's acting funny."

Naomé was confused. She decided against asking questions and did like Sora had and turned around instead. Her breath caught in her throat as a handful of the raindrops zipped down from the heavens and burst into fragments, glittering like a million tiny prisms. The drops took on a shimmering rainbow-like glow, and slowly they began to emit a soft cloud that looked similar to mist.

"Sora," Roxas said. "Have you-"

"Don't even think of asking me," Sora replied, snapping a serious expression Roxas's way. "I've never seen anything like this happen before, so I have no idea what's going on. I'm just as stumped as you two are."

But Naomé seemed to come across a sudden idea. "Guys…what if…what if Beast actually broke the spell before he died? Maybe…just maybe…Belle's words were just in time. What if she said the words _before_ the petal fell?"

Sora snorted. "That wouldn't matter, Naomé. Beast is dead. Even if Belle _did_ break the spell on him, it can't bring him back."

"Maybe it can," Countered Naomé. "They always say love works in mysterious ways. What if Belle's love for Beast is stronger than the forces that took him away? You _did_ say she's a Princess of the Heart. Maybe her Heart is strong enough and has enough power within it to conquer…well…_anything._"

Roxas looked at Sora and shrugged. "She's got a point. That _could_ be possible. Even we don't know what kind of powers the Light inside a Princess of the Heart's Heart can give her."

Naomé noticed something. She was amazed to see that the mist was doing more than just creating a pretty light show. _What in the name of…Beast! Something's happening to Beast! I've gotta tell the guys!_ She started trying to get Sora and Roxas's attention. She gave Roxas a gentle shove in the chest with her hand. "Hey, guys." "Not even the Heart of a Princess of the Heart can cheat death!" Sora snapped. "That's just not possible! They're as mortal as you and I are!"

Roxas was growing irritated. "They may be mortal, but they're stronger! Their Hearts aren't as prone to Darkness as those around us are! They're even more resilient than our hearts, and we're Warriors of the Keyblade!"

"_Guys,_" Naomé said, shoving Roxas harder. _Blast it…they aren't listening!_

Sora glared at Roxas. "So what? What does our being Warriors of the Keyblade have to do with the Princesses of the Heart? They don't connect!"

"Yes, they do!" Argued Roxas. "Like us, their Hearts are stronger when it comes to fighting the Darkness! They may not be as powerful as we are, but they're strong when they need to be. That strength could come in any form. It could even have the strength to prevent the power of a heart from leaving!"

Sora scowled. "Still, I don't find it-"

"_Guys!_" Naomé barked. She nearly knocked Roxas over onto his back as she quite literally threw all her weight into the middle of his chest. She didn't knock him down, but it was enough to blast the wind out of him.

"_What is it, Naomé?_" Sora and Roxas snapped.

Naomé, thoroughly peeved, jabbed a finger at the shimmering mists. "Look, you two morons! If you could just stop arguing long enough, you'll be able to see that strange rain is doing more than just putting on a light show and making a fog cloud! It's actually _doing_ something to Beast! If you don't believe me, then _look for yourselves, you idiots!_"

The two men were quite put-off with Naomé's miniature temper tantrum. Glaring frostily at each other so as to convey that they'd pick up their "discussion" later, they turned their gazes to the event on the balcony and immediately realized just how right Naomé had been. There _was_ something happening to Beast! The mist was making him become more _Human!_

Sora was dumbfounded. "What the…?"

Roxas stared in shock. "Gods…it's…no way…"

Naomé smiled. "Anton! It's Anton! The spell's broken"

"Impossible…" Sora breathed. "He's supposed to be…_dead?_"

"No way!" Gasped Roxas. "You're right, Sora…Beast, uh, Anton, I mean, is supposed to be dead! Gaston killed him…didn't he?"

"See?" Naomé said with a smile. "I _told you_ guys that there was a chance that Belle said the words before the petal fell."

"But," Sora blurted. "That shouldn't matter! Gaston killed him! We just saw him die! Even _you_ can't deny that you didn't see it, Naomé!"

"Magic works in mysterious ways," Replied the Second Keybearer.

Roxas nudged Naomé. "I thought you said that _love_ did."

"True, but magic can, too," Naomé said, gently shoving Roxas. "My mother told me that anything can work in a mysterious way…it just does when it wants to."

Sora smirked. "That's a good one. I'll remember that."

A sudden shower of shimmering raindrops streaked inches away from their faces, cutting off their conversation as each brilliant star of radiant light glistened with rainbow hues. More and more of the sparkling prisms burst into glimmering shards, littering the balcony floor with firefly-like fragments and making the air waver with the shining mists, turning the very atmosphere around Roslyn Castle into one of an almost ethereal light.

KazeRyu stared on in wonder as the mists clouded his vision. However, his sharp sight could easily detect the melting form of the Beast in the fog, slowly transforming back into the form of a young man. He couldn't help but marvel at the sudden display of merciful power that Kingdom Hearts was legendary for, the very power that he himself had protected for over two millennia.

The horns vanished. The shaggy mane withered away to a wild mass of nutmeg brown shoulder-length hair. Gleaming fangs retreated, leaving behind a normally formed mouth. The grimacing countenance peeled away like an actor removing their mask after a performance, bringing to light a handsome face. Beast's hulking form became less animal and more humanoid, losing the impression of its previously monstrous power, but it was obviously still in possession of some kind of great strength. Meaty, bear-like paws tapered to graceful, alabaster-skinned hands. The bushy tail receded into nothingness, leaving nothing but the tattered crimson cloak to wrap around trim, furless calves clothed in loose, frayed pants, and shoeless Human feet.

Then, without warning, the mists lifted, bringing with it a beautiful, rosy-skied dawn with a golden sun rising from beyond the east mountains in the distance. A fresh spring breeze came from the west, carrying with it the scent of rain-washed atmosphere and sweet roses.

Sora gasped at the sight of the brilliantly clear skies. He hadn't seen skies this clear in a long time, and neither had he felt the sense of peace and glorious joy ringing in the air in just as many years. The experience was uplifting, almost like it was Kingdom Hearts taking him by his hand and raising him from out of the Darkness he'd been trapped in for a decade. He hadn't felt this refreshed for a very long time.

Naomé, on the other hand, was focused on the from of Beast, now fully Human, laying prone on the balcony. She noticed that Belle had since backed away in shock, her face a mixture of awe and confusion. The Princess of the Heart looked up at her with a quizzical expression, and Naomé replied with a shrug. Neither one of them had any idea what had happened.

Roxas was befuddled by Beast's transformation. Why did he transform back into his (supposedly) true form when he was supposed to be dead? Had his death and Belle's final vow of love banish the horrible curse from his lifeless body? He couldn't help but wonder exactly what had happened and why.

Carefully, Naomé relinquished Roxas's grasp on her. Then, despite his attempt to grab her hand, she walked over to Beast's body to come standing above him. Her agate gray eyes were full of sympathy and concern as she knelt down beside his body. She was amazed to discover that all of his wounds from the battle with Gaston had healed in the process of becoming a man and no longer a monster. He looked rather handsome…much like many of the Princes she'd envisioned that lived in the fairy tales she'd read hundreds upon hundreds of times in her childhood. She couldn't help but wonder…_is he alive?_

Gathering her courage, Naomé gently touched Beast on the shoulder, applying a delicate pressure in hopes of rousing him. She struggled for a few moments to summon up even more courage to speak his true name, the name he'd been given at his birth. Taking a deep, nervous breath, she finally said what she'd been fighting to say all along.

"Anton?"

Amazingly, Beast responded! He growled softly under his breath as he struggled to regain total consciousness. Slowly, he got up onto his elbows and took a few shaky breaths, then glanced over at Naomé through the long hair that'd fallen over his shoulder to conceal most of his face. Naomé was amazed to see that she was looking back at a single, azure eye.

Anton Verain took another breath, then gave Naomé a weak smile. "Naomé?" He asked in a voice that was clear of any raspy snarl or animal-like ferocity.

Naomé nodded. "Yes, Anton. It's me. Are you all right?"

"I think so…"

From behind the pair, Sora, Roxas, and KazeRyu couldn't help but gape in total shock at Anton's revival in spite of being mortally wounded. It was amazing…somehow, despite Gaston dealing him a killing blow, Prince Anton of the Verain had survived! And, even more amazing, the curse had been broken at last!

Struggling to bring himself to his knees, Anton looked up to see Belle standing across from him on the balcony, her expression just as shocked as Sora's, Roxas's, and KazeRyu's were behind Naomé. He gave her a smile that was a littler stronger than the one he'd given Naomé moments before, reassuring her silently that it was indeed he, Beast, the master of Roslyn Castle, now in his true form.

KazeRyu came over and gallantly helped Prince Anton to his feet. He smiled and gave Anton a fond pat on the shoulder, and then was shocked by receiving a grateful embrace from the freed Prince of the Verain. With an awkward smirk, the celestial werewolf allowed himself to return the embrace, lingering for but a moment before both he and the Prince pulled away from each other to regard one another with a look of grave, deep respect.

Naomé smirked. "So, Kaze, I didn't know you knew how to give hugs."

Sora and Roxas snickered.

"I have never had to exhibit that type of behavior very much, I am afraid," KazeRyu replied in a clipped, matter-of-fact tone of voice. He appeared to be rather uncomfortable about discussing the particular subject of crossing personal boundaries, which he had shown early on to be his most guarded possession next to SaigaSama. "I do not exactly desire Human company. You, Sora, and Roxas are the only ones I feel comfortable with. I am still not fond of being touched, but I believe it is starting to abate a bit."

"No rush," Naomé replied. "Trust takes time. I understand. I'm still a little bit wary about you and those two over there, but I'm starting to get over it, as well. I think that we'll be pretty good buddies by the time this all over and done with."

KazeRyu nodded. "I see your point."

Anton, meanwhile, had gathered up the courage to approach Belle, who was still over by the edge of the balcony. He was still a good several feet away from her so as not to terrify her, but she was still pretty shocked. It would've been obvious to even the most casual observer that they were both _extremely_ nervous to be near one another.

Belle slowly approached Anton, who also took a couple of tentative steps towards her. She stared hard at him, unable to speak or think. His gaze was locked with hers, and the rest of the World around them becoming completely nonexistent.

"Belle…" Anton said, his voice barely a whisper. "It's me…"

_It's me…_ Something about the way Anton said that sparked something within Belle's thoughts. She studied the new face that stood before her, seeking something that would distinguish Beast and Anton as the same person. Certainly there _had_ to be something there that could be easily recognized!

Then, all of a sudden, she found what she was looking for. The unmistakable resemblance between Anton and Beast was their eyes, a perfect match of the same shade of dark azure blue that she'd become so accustomed to seeing for the last eleven years of her life. There was no mistaking the eyes of Beast in Anton's face.

"Beast…it _is_ you!" Belle cried happily, throwing herself in Anton's arms.

Anton laughed, his voice echoing like church bells in the early morning. He swooped Belle up into his embrace and twirled around on the balcony, Belle's laughter mingling with his own until they were quite breathless.

Belle hated having Anton put her down. She huddled close to him in a warm embrace. "Beast," She whispered softly. "It's you…it's really you…"

"No, Belle," Anton replied. "Beast isn't my name…not anymore."

"Then, what is it?"

"His name is Anton," KazeRyu said, his voice a regal rumble. "He who stands before you is known here as Anton, Prince of the Verain, and Lord of Roslyn Castle."

Belle gave Anton a sly grin. "Anton, huh? And you're a _Prince_, are you?"

Prince Anton of the Verain shrugged sheepishly in the direction of the Princess of the Heart that'd freed him. He gave her a nervous smile and scratched shyly at the back of his neck. "Sorry, Belle. I kind of forgot that little detail."

"_Sure_ you did," Sora and Naomé teased.

Belle giggled as Anton rolled his eyes in mock despair. _He's so cute!_


	25. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The Lion of the Rose

_Beast's Castle - Roslyn Castle - West Wing _

Roxas laughed. "Naomé! Sora! Stop teasing!" He tipped Anton a wink. "So, _Anton_, how are you feeling? Better, I hope?"

Anton returned the wink. "Yes indeed, Roxas. I'm feeling a lot better than I was a little while ago, thank you. How are _you_ feeling?"

"Fine, I suppose," Roxas replied with a shrug. "As far as I know, there isn't anything wrong with me. I was just more concerned about you, my friend."

"Thanks for the thoughtfulness," Anton said with a polite inclination of his head.

Roxas imitated the gesture. "You're welcome."

Sora grinned. "If I were you, Beast-"

"Anton," Naomé corrected him.

"Right. Sorry. If I were you, Anton, I'd consider myself pretty lucky to be able to pull off breaking the enchantment that'd been holding me prisoner inside of myself for so long at the last moment. That was a _little_ too close."

Anton nodded. "You don't have to remind me. The last thought I remember was that at least I wouldn't have to live out the rest of my life as that…_creature_ that I was, that I would be able to rest in peace. Then, the next thing I know, here I am, alive and _Human._" He gave Belle a playful hug. "And it's all because of Belle."

"_Hey!_" Sora snapped. "What about Naomé and I, huh?"

"Yeah!" Naomé barked, folding her arms across her chest and giving Anton a fierce glare. "Who were the ones that went into the South Wing and faced down that Heartless _monster_ to protect Belle for your sake while looking for the Ring of the Heart for your World?"

"Naomé and I!" Sora cut in.

"Who was it that found that dumb poem inside of that block of ice they brought in from the broken fountain in the Gardens that basically gave you the answers as to how to go about breaking the cursed spell that you just successfully broke?"

Sora stalked up next to Naomé. "Naomé and I again!"

"And _who,_ may I ask, were the ones that rallied the troops and fought Gaston and his men when they came barging in while you were sitting up here in your room crying like a big, furry baby?"

"That would be Naomé and I _again!_" Sora growled.

Roxas flinched. "Geez, you two! Lay off!"

Belle laughed. Then, all of a sudden, she stopped laughing and began to stare in shock behind where Sora and Naomé were standing. She grabbed Anton's sleeve and tugged on it. "Uh…Anton?"

Anton looked down at Belle. "Yes, Belle? What is it?"

"I…uh…don't think you were the only thing restored by the spell breaking."

"Oh? What else could've been?"

Belle pointed. "_That._"

"Hm?" Anton turned his gaze to follow the direction in which Belle was pointing. Then, it was his turn to gawk. "What the…Sora! Look! The rose! Look at the rose!"

Sora, Roxas, Naomé, and KazeRyu whipped around as one to turn and look at the dead enchanted rose inside of the bell glass jar on the table. But, when they saw what'd happened, they couldn't help but stare in wonder.

The rose wasn't dead anymore! It was fully restored! The enchanted flower now appeared as normal as if none of its petals had fallen off. It sparkled with glistening dew despite being inside of a jar, almost like it'd just been picked from the garden. The petals were of a fiery crimson, like that of a brilliant sunset, and the stem of the rose was a deep, vibrant green with just a few short, sharp thorns.

"Whoa…" Sora breathed. "Roxas, do you see…?"

"Yeah," Roxas replied just as breathlessly. "The rose. It's…_alive!_"

"It's _beautiful,_" Naomé said, awed. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."

"I believe I must agree with you, Naomé," KazeRyu remarked. "It is indeed the most beautiful rose that I, too, have perhaps ever seen. I have seen many flowers in my lifetime, but few compare to the beauty of this one."

Sora stared at the rose. Something kept churning around in the back of his brain. There was something else that he knew had to do with roses, but he just couldn't think of it at the moment. If only he could remember it…

Naomé, too, was wondering about why the sight of the rose was making her mind tick. Then, all of a sudden, she gasped and gave Sora a crack on the shoulder, making her friend's attention divert to her.

"Ouch! What was that for, Naomé?" Sora asked, rubbing his shoulder.

"The rose! It reminded me of something about that poem we found!" Naomé replied. "Remember?"

Sora screwed up his brains again. "I think so…" He shot his gaze over to Naomé. "Hey, Naomé, do you still have that poem with you?"

Naomé tentatively reached inside of her jacket and searched a pocket that had been sewn to the inside of it. "Yeah, I've got it."

"Well, take it out, stupid!" Sora snorted.

Glaring in sharp reproof at the Master of the Keyblade, the Second Keybearer removed the scroll from within her jacket and undid the tie on it. She silently scanned the stanzas until she found the one she was looking for. "Call me stupid again, Sora, and you'll be sorry! Ah! Here it is! Listen:

"_Lastly, seek the lion for which the Hero is named,_

_Then shall a Heart be set free and a kingdom reclaimed._"

Roxas scratched his head. "That doesn't make any sense to me! It's just a bunch of words all thrown together! I know that it's supposed to be a clue, but it doesn't sound like much of a one in my opinion!"

"Well, it worked to get Anton this far," Was Sora's rejoinder. "So, that means to me that the last lines of the poem can get me what _I_ want: that dang-blasted Ring!"

"It sounds to me like the poem is telling you where it is," KazeRyu remarked. "Furthermore, from what _I_ am getting from hearing the verse, if this 'lion' is found, then not only will Beast's Castle be freed, but Anton can finally claim the dynastic seat of power in his kingdom."

Naomé nodded. "Okay, so first off is that we need to find this 'lion.' Anton, do you know of anywhere in the castle where you can find a lion?"

Anton scowled in deep thought. "There was at one point. It was, in fact, a small statue that used to be kept here in my chambers. My patriarch had had it created after he first founded the Verain dynasty. However, it was several generations before mine that the statue and its prized possession disappeared. No one knows what happened to it, and all attempts to find it have failed. There was, at one point, talk about it being hidden 'behind a rose,' but that was never proven to be true or false. Sorry."

"How can you hide a statue behind a rose?" Sora asked, confused.

"There's always a rosebush," Commented Roxas.

"No, no, no," Naomé growled. "Who would put a statue outside?"

KazeRyu chuckled. "Did you happen to see all the statues that exist out on the castle grounds or upon the castle itself, young Second Keybearer?"

"Very funny," Snorted Naomé as she stalked into the West Wing. "If I were any of you numbskulls, no offense Belle and Anton, I certainly wouldn't just be standing there doing nothing and talking about flower gardens and statues! I'd be looking for the one thing that can set everything in this World back to the way it's supposed to be!"

Roxas winced at Naomé's sharp reproof. He knew she was right…they _shouldn't_ be hanging around outside on the balcony and enjoying the sunshine. There was still the daunting task of finding the Ring of the Heart of Beast's Castle, not to mention Sealing that Heart!

The Master of the Keyblade, on the other hand, didn't seem to be bothered by the comment. He just stood there, staring off into space, preoccupied with some random thought of one design or another. It was obvious that he was ignoring Naomé's vicious tongue lashing, waiting for the moment that things cooled down enough so he could start his own independent search for the Ring.

Naomé paced about Anton's chamber, agate gray eyes roving over the expanse of the room. "That Ring's _got_ to be in here," she muttered irritably to herself. "It just _has_ to be!" She paused every time she saw a rose or anything close in resemblance to it in the chamber, poked at it, then grunted in dissatisfaction and went to the next rose she saw. Occasionally, she would glance at the newly restored enchanted rose resting on the table in the bell jar, grunt again, and then go back to searching.

Sora scowled. "Naomé, don't get so nasty! There are _hundreds_ of roses here in Roslyn Castle besides the ones in here! Why don't we try and search-"

"_No!_" Naomé barked, making her friends jump. She turned her gaze on Sora, icy agate-gray irises glaring angrily at irritated light ocean blue. "That Ring is in here, I can feel it! Think, Keybearer! Do you see anything in here that could provide some kind of answer?"

His friend's abrupt manner immediately alerted Sora to the fact that he needed to trust Naomé's judgment. Her intuition had proven to be a godsend in several occasions since his return, more often than not providing the solution to the problems he was facing at that time. Naomé had a good, logical head resting on her shoulders, and only a fool would not take heed to her words. If the Ring of the Heart of Beast's Castle was in Anton's chambers, then it was in Anton's chambers. Naomé's instincts were rarely wrong…thus far, anyway…

Roxas, amused by Naomé's sense of stubborn reasoning, decided to help her search rather than just stand in the doorway between chambers and balcony. Walking past the enchanted rose, he immediately righted a desk chair that had roses carved into the woodworking. Carefully straightening out the mess of stationery and dusty books (one of which had a rose imprinted into the leather cover), he began poking and prodding at the various carvings and décor that made up the desk, which, like its matching chair, was carved from rosewood. "Naomé, my friend, just what exactly am I looking for?"

"Anything suspicious," Naomé replied. "You know, something that looks a little bit out of the ordinary? I'm willing to bet it will look like a rose or have something with a rose on it or in it, but it will probably appear to be out of place. Kind of get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," Roxas replied with a smile. "Anything that doesn't belong, right?"

Anton groaned. "That's going to be tough. I made a mess of things in there."

Naomé shrugged. "Not to be rude, Anton, but beasts aren't exactly neat freaks."

Belle sniggered.

KazeRyu noticed Sora's irritated countenance. He gave him a rough shove. "All right, you spoiled little cub, you. What is wrong?"

Sora scowled even more darkly. "I still think we should search the rest of the castle first," He grumbled, folding his arms huffily across his chest and leaning against one of the marble columns that framed the doorway. "There are _hundreds_ of roses in this castle, and Naomé's bound and determined to stay in this one chamber until she's basically analyzed the smallest speck of dust before she says that we should move on! We should just split up and look! It would be faster that way!"

"Quit your complaining," KazeRyu grunted, flicking Sora in the back of the head with a taloned finger. "Perhaps if we help them straighten the room back out, then things will go a lot smoother, eh? _Then_ we will be able to search the rest of the castle like you want. We are right here, so this is where we might as well begin."

"Oh, all right," Sora replied. "Where should I start picking stuff up?"

"Anywhere where Roxas and Naomé are not doing it already," KazeRyu replied with a fanged smile. "Where else would you think, Keybearer?"

Sora shoved the celestial werewolf warrior. "Very funny, Wind Dragon," He growled like Anton used to as he walked into the chamber and headed over towards where the bathing chamber was on the other side of the room. "I guess I'll go in here and start picking things up. Who knows? Maybe the Ring got squashed into a bar of soap or something."

"At least it'll be clean!" Roxas remarked as Sora walked past him.

Naomé rolled her eyes. "Good one, Roxas."

Roxas laughed.

KazeRyu, on the other hand, righted the toppled night table and began to put the drawer and doors back into and on it. He carefully reset the doors on their hinges and spent quite a few minutes grumbling and swearing various expletives under his breath as he realigned the pins that kept the hinges together with his talons, which kept slipping off the greased metal pins. That done, he took to crawling around under the four-posted bed, carved from rosewood and adorned with intricate carvings of the beautiful flower like the rest of the furniture in the chamber, talons scratching at the "grout" between the stone "tiles" and checking to see if any of them came loose. He sneezed on the dust as he meticulously sniffed along any cracks he spotted for air leaking through, his pale eyes glaring beneath his hooded brow as he found himself running straight into a dead end.

Roxas, meanwhile, was helping Naomé clean up around the fireplace, which included clearing out the old ashes. The two friends, like KazeRyu, sneezed and choked on the powder-fine dust, but they were able to sweep it up with a tattered old sheet turned into a rag mop and brush it into a dirty, old linen pillowcase and tie it closed like a trash bag.

"I don't think the maids are going to appreciate that when they see it, Roxas," Naomé teased. "You've no idea just how awful it's going to be to get that all out!"

"Oh, well," Roxas replied, dusting his hands off. "We had to use _something_. I think it would rather rude of us to leave a pile of ashes in the middle of Anton's bedroom! Besides, those sheets and stuff needed to be washed, anyway." He turned around and saw Naomé jumping around inside of the fireplace, her stomps as gravity brought her back down to the ground raising a cloud of sooty dust. "Naomé, what are you doing?"

"Well, we didn't find the Ring in the ashes, did we?"

"No, but that doesn't explain what you're doing in there."

Naomé growled in frustration and came scrambling out of the fireplace. Sneezing a couple times, she furiously and hastily brushed herself off, and then suddenly hoisted herself onto the mantel and began tapping at the stones with the fire poker.

This made Roxas even more confused. He tilted his head to one side and cocked one eyebrow in a curious gesture at his friend. "Naomé, this isn't the time for you to be practicing your Keyblade skills."

"It's not that, Roxas," Naomé replied distractedly. "I'm using the poker to tap around the chimney here and see if maybe I can find any spots where the sound is different. You know, like a stone might be missing or something might be in the place of that stone so that the chimney doesn't look like it's been damaged?"

"You mean, like a hiding place or a hidden safe?" Roxas asked in wonder.

Naomé nodded. "Yep. Of course, I can't reach up _inside_ the flue, so I'm just going to have to listen up. That is, unless you want to help me get up into the flue so I can take a look-see." She said, turning to regard her friend over her shoulder.

Roxas scowled. "You? Get up into the flue? Naomé, that's really dangerous. I don't think that's such a good idea. You could get stuck."

"That's Santa, and he's about ten times bigger than I am. I could fit in here with no problem, and I'd still be able to move around, too. I wouldn't go too high, anyway…if I found something, I might not be able to get back down with it."

"The Ring wouldn't be _that_ heavy!"

"No, unless it was kept inside of something," Naomé replied matter-of-factly. "So, are you going to help me out or not, Avalon?"

Roxas smiled at Naomé's attempt to imitate Sora's gruff querying. "All right, Windom. You win. Let me help you out in there." He walked inside of the fireplace with her and crouched down onto one knee. "Here, get on my back, and make sure that your standing mostly on my shoulders. When I stand up, you'll be able to look up inside of the flue. Sound good?"

Naomé was concerned. "Are you sure, Roxas? Won't you hurt your back?"

"No," Roxas replied with a smile. "I have a strong back. It must be from my training with the KeyStaff for the last several years. C'mon, Naomé. Get on! I promise that you won't hurt me."

"All right. But, I warn you, I'm heavy," Naomé cautioned as she scrabbled up onto Roxas's back and placed the front half of her boots just over the edge of her friend's shoulders. "I'm ready when you are, Roxas."

Roxas smirked. "All right, Naomé. Hold on tight!" He said, suddenly standing straight up with his friend and fellow Keybearer coming to stand perfectly straight on his shoulders and able to look straight up into the flue of the fireplace. "How's that? Better, I hope?"

Naomé laughed, her voice echoing. "Yeah! This is _much_ better! Thanks, Roxas!"

"No problem," Roxas replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Anytime."

"What a gentleman," Naomé teased.

Roxas laughed again. "Thanks!"

Sora popped his head around the corner of the entryway that lead into Anton's bathing chambers. He gave Roxas a confused look when he saw his friend standing up in the fireplace, the only part of him visible being everything from the bottom of his chest down. "Roxas, what in the name of the gods are you doing in there? Santa isn't supposed to come for another several months, dude!"

"Very funny," Roxas's voice echoed sarcastically out of the flue. "Naomé and I are looking into the chimney flue to see if maybe the Ring got hidden up here somehow. You know, Maleficent and Xemnas might've tried to be a couple of sneak thieves?"

Sora groaned. "And how, may I ask, are you going to succeed in looking around in there? They don't have flashlights here, buddy!"

Roxas shrugged again. "I'm sure we'll find a way." Suddenly, he yelped in surprise. "Naomé! What the heck are you doing, you crazy woman, you?"

Naomé grunted as she began scaling the inside of the chimney. "Well, since, like Sora so casually pointed out-"

"Casually?" Sora said, pulling a puzzled face.

"Yes, casually. So, as I was saying, since we don't have a flashlight, I'm just going to have to climb around and feel the walls until I find something! Stay right where you are, Roxas! I'll need your help when I come back down, please!"

"All right," Roxas replied, smiling at his friend. "So, Naomé, what's it like up there, anyway?"

"Well, for one, it's black as night in here, and…_eeyuck…_the entire walls are completely carbonized with soot deposits!"

Roxas wrinkled his nose in disgust. "_Eeeww…_"

Suddenly, Naomé yelped in shock as her foot got caught in a hole in the wall of the chimney flue. "_Yeow!_"

This made Roxas leap in terror. His head shot into the fireplace, and he craned his neck back to see his friend up in the chimney. "Naomé! Are you hurt? What's wrong?"

Naomé started laughing. "I found a hole in the chimney wall! It feels like there's some kind of a box in there! My foot struck a padlock!" She shifted around and put her hands inside of the opening. "It feels like there's _two_ bricks missing…the one to create the opening, and the one below it to create the storage space." She grunted as she struggled to get the strange box out of its resting place, hissing through clenched teeth and cursing vehemently under her breath as she the flesh of her hands was scratched and torn open by the rough calcified soot deposits that'd hidden the opening from view.

Roxas listened as his friend snarled and growled in exertion and pain. "Are you okay up there?"

"I'll be fine, Roxas!" Naomé snapped. "Give me a minute! I've just about got that stupid, moronic, confounded box out of this hole in the wall! I'm going to try and take my jacket off so I can lower it down to you!"

Suddenly, she saw something flash past her face. Startled, she glanced over to see that the Oathkeeper end of Roxas's KeyStaff had popped up right beside her. "What the…? Roxas! What on Earth are you doing?"

"Here, Naomé!" Roxas called up. "Loop the padlock over the end of that Keyblade! I'll be able to pull it down from there!"

Sora had given up searching Anton's bathing chambers, and now he and the restored Prince came over to investigate Roxas and Naomé's excavation of the fireplace. Anton ducked into the fireplace and craned his neck back so he could look up into the chimney. He burst out laughing as he saw Naomé's lanky body firmly planted in place by her own uncanny gymnastics skills. "Wow, Naomé! How did you get up in there?"

Naomé laughed back. "It's pretty easy when you're as skinny as a twig! Hold on a second, Anton! I'm giving Roxas something that I found up here! Roxas, be careful! It's a hardwood box about the size of the jewelry box in Belle's chambers! Furthermore, it's covered in that carbonized soot deposit stuff! It's virtually encased in it!"

Roxas clumsily balanced his KeyStaff as Naomé sent her jacket, which had the bundle tied up in it, sliding down his weapon like it was a greased pole, finally having the heavy object come crashing down into his arms and nearly making him drop the thing. He banished the KeyStaff and handed the box to Anton, who took it out onto the balcony to start chipping away at the carbon.

Sora howled when he saw the box in his friend's strong hands. "_All right!_ Maybe that box has the Ring in it! Hurry up and open it, Anton! Let's see what's inside!"

"I would if I could get the lock undone," Anton replied. "Naomé was right…the box is completely covered in rock-hard soot, almost like it's been encased in stone. I'm willing to bet the lock is useless, too. It looks to me like the inner workings of the lock are covered in that rocky material, as well. We may never be able to open the box."

_KER-RUNCH!_

"Sora? What are you doing?" Anton yelped.

"Cracking a safe, that's what!" Sora replied, striking the Keyblade down as hard as he could on the carbon-crusted box. "Stand back, Anton! Some pieces might fly off of this thing, and I don't want anybody except me to get hurt by them! Now, look out!"

_CRUNCH! CRACK! KUNCH! CRIK! KRASH!_ The Keyblade hacked and bit into the crusty fireplace deposits, chipping away at them and slowly but surely cracking the thick casing like he were breaking a geode open to discover the crystals inside.

Roxas, meanwhile, had crashed into the floor of the fireplace with Naomé landing heavily on top of him. In order for the Second Keybearer to escape without getting her white T-shirt dirty, she had to freefall from her place in the chimney and into her friend's waiting arms. He smiled a goofy grin as Naomé brushed her hair and soot out of her eyes. "Hi, Naomé."

"Hi yourself, Roxas," Naomé replied, returning the quirky smile. "Good catch."

"Thanks," Roxas said sheepishly as he allowed Naomé to help him back to his feet. "Good fall. I hardly felt a thing when I caught you."

Naomé shoved him playfully. "Idiot! You're stronger than I am!"

Roxas smirked mischievously as he handed Naomé back her jacket. "Not as much as you might think, Naomé Windom."

"Don't lie to me, Roxas Avalon," Naomé threatened, wagging a teasing finger at him as she put her jacket back on. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a liar."

"I'll remember that," Roxas remarked. "_Honestly_, I will."

Naomé playfully cuffed him. "Idiot."

Roxas chuckled.

KazeRyu and Belle noticed that Sora was still chipping away at the carbon-encrusted box Naomé had discovered up in the chimney. The Keyblade Master was dripping with sweat from exertion, his clothes damp and sticking to his skin as if he'd just come out of the water. When both of them went over, they noticed that Anton was helping Sora out by turning and holding the box in place so it didn't go skidding all over the place. Occasionally, the recently freed Prince blinked as a piece of carbon flicked his way, but he otherwise seemed to not have a problem with the Keyblade being so close.

"Sora," KazeRyu said. "There might be an easier way to get that off."

"How?" Sora gasped, taking a break to wipe the sweat out of his eyes.

The celestial werewolf warrior grabbed the box and set it on the balcony railing. Drawing SaigaSama, he carefully lined up his swing, mentally judging the trajectory and angle of his attack. Then, once he was certain that he had his aim just right, he let the lock on the box taste the fullest power and might he could unleash in one swipe.

_KER-RANG!_

SaigaSama struck the lock dead-on, the blade shearing the lock in two and having the two carbonized halves fall away to the ground. With a confident smirk, KazeRyu placed one of his talons under where he assumed the gap between the box and its lid were and gave it gentle flick backwards, flipping the lid open. He turned and flashed the same smirk to Sora, who was standing next to Anton in open-mouthed shock.

Both Anton and Sora scowled darkly. "Very funny, KazeRyu," They grunted as they came to see what was in the box. Naomé and Roxas joined their friends only seconds later, looking on in shock as Anton carefully lifted an object out and into the light of day.

Naomé was amazed at the sight of the object. It was a beautiful statue of a male lion done in solid gold with eyes of light blue sapphires, similar in color to Anton's eyes, with fangs and talons crafted out of the finest ivory. The lion's mouth was open in a roar, and its right paw was raised up and resting on the hilt of what appeared to be a type of sword. Around the lion's neck was a silken ribbon of a creamy ecru white and trimmed with forest green velvet, and hanging from it and perfectly centered on the lion's chest was a medal of white gold, formed into a rose in full bloom.

It was the sword-like weapon that attracted Naomé's attention the most. Forged from steel of the superlative quality and with a hilt of the absolute highest grade of platinum, it was truly a blade to behold. The blade had an image of a vine with roses on it engraved into both sides that ran from the end of the blood channel up to where the steel met the platinum hilt. High grade leather of the deepest black possible was wrapped around the grip of the hilt, as fresh as if it'd just been cured.

The area where the hilt, cross hilt and blade joined together had a beautiful depiction of a rose on each side, made from beautiful deep rose gold, guarded and strengthened by intricately designed matching yellow gold leaves set into a trinity-like pattern and with thorny vines of the same winding around the cross hilt. The pommel stone of the weapon was the most beautiful piece of the entire thing, a piece of rose quartz carved into what else but a gorgeous rose with many petals, and polished until it gleamed like a diamond in the early morning sunlight.

Sora, also, was mesmerized by the blade the lion was holding. "Whoa…that is perhaps one of the most beautiful weapons I have ever seen! Anton, what kind of a weapon is that?"

Anton smiled fondly as he ran his hands along the lion's body. "That weapon is called a dirk, Sora. It is halfway between a dagger and a short sword in size, and it is just as deadly as either one. It can be thrown like a dagger or used in combat like a sword would. I learned from my father how to use this kind of weapon. What amazes me is that the rumors I'd heard of the dirk being separated from its possessor were actually false. It was once believed that one of my ancestors stole the blade, and then was responsible for the statue being hid, so as to hide his theft of the weapon. But, now I see that's false. The dirk is still here in Roslyn Castle, and it is still being protected by the Lion of the Rose."

"The Lion of the Rose?" Roxas echoed. "That title certainly fits it well."

"I know," Anton replied. "This magnificent animal is depicted on my family's crest and coat of arms. As the story goes, my ancestor, the first to call himself by the Verain surname, was known as 'the Lion of the Rose' because of his lion-like courage and because his armor had a rose engraved into the breastplate. It is said that this dirk had even belonged to him! He became the ruler of this country after he secured the town of Sophia Rosé from an outside threat. Since then, the Lion of the Rose has come to represent the Verain family. I was always proud to hear myself be called 'Prince of the Verain…' I have a feeling that was what started this whole thing with my being cursed so many years ago. I let my pride get the better of me, and I paid dearly for letting it get that far."

Naomé frowned. "That may be a possibility, Anton, but you've no need to beat yourself up for it any longer. What's done is done, and you are no longer cursed, so there is no need to worry about it anymore. You're back to normal, you've got your happy ending, and that's that." Sora laughed and playfully cuffed Naomé's shoulder. "Well said, Naomé!"

Roxas smiled. "Yeah, Naomé! That was very good!"

Embarrassed, Naomé turned to Anton. "Anton, is it possible I might be able to look at the dirk? I want to take a closer look at it, if you don't mind my curiosity."

Anton shrugged. "I don't see why not. I trust you. All you have to do is tilt the dirk towards you and pull straight up. The blade will come right out of its resting place, almost like you would if you were unsheathing a sword."

Naomé very carefully pulled the dirk out as Anton had instructed, coming away with the beautiful weapon in her hand. She allowed it to shift about in her slightly loosened grip, mentally getting a feel for the weapon's weight. However, when she went to examine the pommel stone, she noticed something rather peculiar about it. If she looked closely enough, it appeared that the center of the rose was another, smaller rose that was similar in design as the rose it was situated in. _Hmmm…a rose within a rose…_that's_ something you don't see everyday…_

Roxas noticed Naomé's sudden change in expression. "Naomé, what is it?"

"There's something about this pommel stone," Naomé mused. "Roxas, Sora, take a look at this. I have reason to believe the center of the rose is in fact another rose itself."

"A rose within a rose?" Sora asked, coming over to look at the dirk. "That sounds kind of interesting."

"I thought so myself," Naomé replied. She held the dirk out just slightly away from her, so both Sora and Roxas could get a better look at it. When she noticed their matched looks of amazement, she smiled at them confidently. "You see it too, guys?"

Both men nodded.

KazeRyu seemed puzzled. "Naomé, why is that so important? Some roses look like they have a rose inside of a rose. What is so special about this particular one?"

Naomé allowed the celestial werewolf warrior to see the pommel. "The rose in the middle is slightly darker than the rest of the pommel stone, Kaze. See? That's a slightly deeper shade of rose than the rest. _That's_ what's confusing me."

I can see your point," KazeRyu remarked. "I, too, find that a bit puzzling."

The Second Keybearer nodded. However, when she brought the dirk back close to her body, she suddenly seemed to become more alert. She began to search the dirk more thoroughly, especially up around where the stone met the hilt.

Belle was intrigued by Naomé's sudden spark of curiosity. "What is it, Naomé? What do you see?"

Anton also noticed Naomé's expression. "Is something wrong, Naomé?"

Naomé was now eyeing the pommel stone with a very extreme gaze. "Anton, I do believe that the pommel stone is not fully attached to the hilt."

"It's not? Whatever do you mean?"

"From what I understand, a pommel stone is usually set _into_ the hilt so that it is firmly lodged into place and is thus unable to come free and cause the weapon's balance to be thrown off kilter. Well, from what I'm looking at, I have a strong feeling this stone _is not_ set into the hilt like it should be. In fact, it looks like it could come loose. May I?"

Anton shrugged again. "Be my guest."

Sora watched in amazement as Naomé carefully twisted and tugged at the pommel stone until she was suddenly able to twist it like the lid of a jar and pull back on it like she was uncorking a wine bottle. The rose had indeed not been set into the pommel like it normally should have been! "Naomé, you were right!" He said in shock. "The rose came free from the hilt!"

Naomé nodded in satisfaction. "It did indeed, Sora…just like I suspected." She set the blade down into the hardwood box it'd come out of and took to examining the rose quartz pommel stone. "Hmmm…the rose was threaded like a screw would be…see the hilt here? It's almost like a corkscrew." She flipped the rose over and looked inside of the hole in the bottom of it. "Hm? What's this?"

Roxas watched as Naomé began to fiddle inside the rose. "What is it, Naomé?"

"I think there's something in here," She said distractedly, her fingers fiddling with the object of interest inside of the stone flower. "Whatever it is, it's stuck in here. Whoops, gimme a minute…I think I might've got it…" She gave the object in question a slight twist, and was rewarded with her tiny treasure agreeing with her desire for it to move and coming loose. Carefully so as not to damage her find, she slowly retracted it out of the rose and into her hand. "Well, look at what we have here!" She laughed. "I think I've just found what we've been looking for, Sora!"

"_What?_" Sora yelped, coming to Naomé's side in a heartbeat. "No way! Lemme see!" He said, reaching for the ring Naomé had discovered hiding within the pommel stone. He laughed at the sight of the rose gold ring with the rose carved from rose quartz set into the top of it. "Anton! Is that it? Is that the Ring to the Heart of your World? Is that it?"

Anton smiled. "You're absolutely right, Sora. That _is_ the Ring. It's kind of odd the Lion of the Rose was protecting it…normally, I would've been it's protector, not the Lion. It's no wonder to me now why my father had always felt afraid he couldn't protect his Kingdom…he didn't have a way to protect its Heart from danger. But, regardless, the Ring's been found, and now it's yours. Go ahead, Sora…do your thing."

Sora chuckled and shook his head. "Anton Verain, you know me too well." He gently took the Ring of the Heart of Beast's Castle out of Naomé's hand and looked it over. "Now, the only question is how we get that stupid Keyhole to appear so I can Seal it. Any ideas, anyone?"

Roxas shrugged. "I'm clueless, Sora. I have no idea how the Ring works. Sorry."

Naomé examined the Ring further, but she too was stumped. _How do we get the Ring to work? C'mon, Kingdom Hearts…give us a clue here! We're not super geniuses! Help us out here!_

KazeRyu suddenly got an inspiration. "Naomé! Sora! May I see the Ring?"

Sora gave KazeRyu the Ring. "I don't know what you're going to find, Wind Dragon, but maybe your years of experience might give you an edge here. Give it a shot. Maybe you'll figure it out."

The celestial werewolf warrior gently took the Ring into his sinewy paws and began slowly turning it about his furred fingers. His pale irises seemed to barely shift as he brought the Ring up close to his face and proceed to inspect it with a trained eye. All of a sudden, a strange grin came across his muzzle, making those virtually colorless eyes glimmer. "Aha…Sora, I think I have figured it out."

"Really?" Sora said. "If you did, share with the rest of the class!"

"Yeah!" Naomé and Roxas chimed in in unison. "Show us, Kaze!"

"All right," KazeRyu replied. "However, you will think I am a bit crazy here…"

Naomé was perplexed. "Crazy? How so?"

Instead of answering, KazeRyu turned around, walked towards the middle of the balcony, and then suddenly did the most unexpected thing. Whipping his left arm back and aiming for the right angle, he instantaneously flung that same arm forward, his wrist snapping as he sent the Ring flying out and away from him, far beyond the balcony's reach.

"You fool!" Sora screamed. "What'd you do that for? Now we'll never find the-"

He never finished his sentence. Instead, Sora Kasasagi stood next to his friends and fellow Keybearers Naomé Windom and Roxas Avalon, thunderstruck into silence, as he witnessed the most amazing thing he'd seen since his resurrection only days before.

The Ring, although it'd apparently vanished from sight, gave a great flash from the stone rose set into it and disappeared from view. However, in what seemed like only a few split seconds, the flash reappeared and shaped itself into what appeared to be an ethereal image of an old-fashioned hole for which a key was to enter to lock a door.

Naomé gaped in shock. "What the heck is that?" She squeaked.

Sora grinned. "The Keyhole!"

"_The what?_" The Second Keybearer squawked.

"The way to Seal a World's Heart!" Sora explained. "That's how we save the Worlds from the Darkness, Naomé…we Seal their Hearts from the Darkness! That's the _real_ purpose of the Keyblade…to Seal the Worlds with Light so the Darkness can't get in." He tipped Naomé a wink. "Here, Naomé. Let me show you how a World is Sealed!"

Sora did a daring move and leaped up onto the balcony railing. Summoning the Keyblade from its hidden magical location and to his hand, he gave it an expert twirl to situate it in his grip and then aimed the Keyblade straight at the Keyhole. A bluish-white beam seemed to shoot forth from the end of the fabled weapon, striking the Keyhole dead center like an arrow hitting the bull's eye of a target. The bluish-white light spread out to the edges of the spectral image like ripples in a pool, filling the Keyhole with its light in seconds. A loud _click!_ that boomed like a dungeon door being slammed shut in a chamber came from the Keyhole, along with a flash of yellowish-white light come flashing back at the Master of the Keyblade and his friends like a solar flare, as though recognizing Sora and his Keyblade's signature power. Then, the Keyhole and the light flashed and disappeared, leaving a view of clear blue skies.

A glimmer of rose gold sparkled in the warm morning sunlight. Sora stretched his hand out and found that the Ring of the Heart to Beast's Castle had returned to _his_ hand instead of KazeRyu's, almost like it knew that it "belonged" to him now. The rose quartz rose glinted at him with a final glitter of its hidden powers and then fell silent, its connection to the Heart returning to its peaceful slumbers. He stared long and hard at the ring in silence, pondering some secret thought.

Naomé was amazed. She gasped in shock as the remainder of the shining white light vanished. "_Whoa!_ So _that's_ what the Keyblade does! That was _amazing!_"

Her friend and the Keybearer of Kingdom Hearts jumped down lightly from the balcony railing and back onto the balcony, his face lit up with a triumphant smile. "I know. And as many times as I've seen that happen in all the years that I've been here, it still amazes me, too. Something about seeing that kind of power and knowing that I was the one that made it happen just kind of makes me feel good inside. You know, it gives me the feeling like I'm doing something right?"

"Well, you are," KazeRyu said with a slight smile. "You are helping a lot of people, Sora. You are protecting the hearts of those who live here from the Darkness. That is a noble thing to do, my young friend. You should feel good about what you are doing, not to mention feel proud of yourself. Sealing a World is an accomplishment worth noting. You did well, Master of the Keyblade."

"Yeah," Sora replied with a proud grin. But then, the smile turned into a scowl. "Yeah, and I've got to do it twelve more times…just absolutely wonderful. And I bet the Infiltrators I'll be facing will be a _lot_ more difficult than Gaston was! They'll probably make him look like a piece of cake! _And_ I can't forget about the Organization! I've got to handle _them_, as well!"

"True," Naomé replied. "But, don't forget, Sora, that you have your friends to help you every step of the way. You won't be fighting this alone."

The smile returned to Sora's face. He chuckled at Naomé's words and playfully punched her shoulder. "Yeah…you're right, Naomé…thanks for reminding me."

Naomé shrugged and returned the quirky smirk to Sora. "No problem. After all, _that's_ what friends are for, aren't they?"

Sora's grin was a strained one as he groaned and rolled his light ocean eyes to the bright blue skies above. "Blast you, Windom…you got me."

Naomé pumped the air with a fist. "_All right!_"

Her, Sora, and Roxas burst out laughing.


	26. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Aros Validar

_Unknown World - Castle Oblivion - Throne Room_

Castle Oblivion had been the hiding place of Organization XIII…once. Now, for the last decade, it'd been abandoned, left to its fate of its eventual crumbling due to blatant neglect. The outside of the castle was grayed from the years of dust and dirt being blown against it by the wind, pounded into its finite cracks from rain, and natural weathering by the elements themselves. All in all, Castle Oblivion was a dark, lonely, forbidding place, and only those who were truly of the darkest, loneliest heart themselves would feel comfortable within its freezing walls.

There was, in fact, one who _did_ live there, and he was perfectly content. This young man was ruler of the unknown World that Castle Oblivion called home. Here, he was King, ruling over invisible subjects, subjects only seen by his imagination. Occasionally, he had a visitor or two, ones made of flesh and blood like him, but they were few and far between. The last had been a few years ago, another King that was very much like himself, and that meeting had not ended well...at least, not for the other King.

Despite being alone in the castle, Aros Validar liked the sound of total silence. He found it to be one of the most beautiful things in all of Kingdom Hearts…and, to him, there was very little beauty in Kingdom Hearts to begin with. He believed things would be much more beautiful if the balance between Light and Darkness in all of the Hearts was restored to their rightful levels. If everything balanced out, then everyone would be happy. And, for Aros, if Kingdom Hearts were happy, then so would he.

Currently, Aros was situated in the empty Throne Room, high above the ground in one of the highest towers. Here, the young man had unceremoniously draped himself in the throne, left to staring off into space with nothing but blank thoughts going through his empty mind. The throne itself was a seat fit for a ruler of the highest order, artistically carved from a single block of Arctic marble and furnished with black velvet seat cushion and backrest. But, for Aros, it served as every piece of furniture for him: a seat, a table, even his bed when he didn't feel like sleeping on his usual spot on the floor.

It was in the Throne Room that Aros did just about everything. He would occasionally pass the eternal hours by going into the library downstairs and flipping through a book or two, but he would otherwise stay in his throne and ruminate about how many breaths he'd drawn since he'd last thought about it, which could've been a lifetime ago. When he was up to it, he would take to dancing through the halls of his beloved castle, practicing his swordsmanship as he fought his shadow and various imaginary foes, each more daunting than the last. Of course, he was always the victor, the valiant and noble King of his unknown World, the legendary hero of his fantasy subjects. Their cheers always echoed in his empty dreams, and he grew to hate the noise. That was why he loved silence…the only thing you could hear in the silence was yourself.

Aros wasn't in the mood for that today, though. No, today he just felt like sitting there, partaking in his favorite hobby of doing absolutely nothing whatsoever, and just thinking about whatever came into his mind, which was never much. He'd been sitting that way for the last several hours, and he'd watched from the corner of his eye the shadows as they moved across the floor, highlighting and shadowing the veins in the Arctic marble tiles that made up the floor with no interest. Even the passage of time bored him.

Suddenly, a thought popped into his brain, one that'd shown up there a couple times recently. It was the thought of another young man like himself, a warrior that had fought and defeated many a foe, although those foes were all too real and not of the imagination. The young man he thought of was thought to be a living legend, a hero the likes of which Kingdom Hearts had never seen and might never see again:

Sora Kasasagi.

Aros had first heard of the Master of the Keyblade ten years ago, back when he'd first become the King of his hidden kingdom. Sora was a mighty warrior, feared by the Darkness because of his fighting for the cause of the Light. With his equally mighty and mythical Keyblade in hand, he smote slews of foes with hardly any effort, always leaving behind him a freedom wrought by destruction.

At first, the idea of Sora finding his kingdom and coming to destroy it made Aros nervous. Back then, he wasn't the trained warrior he was now. If he had to face Sora, he wouldn't have been a challenge at all. But now, with his years of training, a miracle granted by Sora's being imprisoned for the last ten years, Aros knew that, if he had to cross blades with the Master of the Keyblade, the odds to win would definitely be in his favor.

As the years had passed, Aros had grown content with Sora's absence. He'd been able to sit back and relax, train at a leisurely pace, and just put all ideas of being threatened behind him. He really didn't need to worry, anyway: the forces of Darkness had left his World untouched, thanks to his being unknown and not having any "real" power. This was good in some ways, but it'd become rather boring to hear of how the other Worlds fallen prey to the Darkness and those that controlled it. After the first couple years, Aros had just stopped listening. It was always the same, anyway: one of the Worlds tried to resist, they lost the battle…blah, blah, blah…and they all lived unhappily ever after. It was always that way.

Recently, however, Aros had learned of some disturbing news: Sora was back, and he wasn't wasting any time in setting things right in Kingdom Hearts again. He'd already Sealed two Worlds, and he was on his way to a third.

Sora's "resurrection" had initially panicked Aros, who over the course of the years had become rather cool, level-headed, and exceptionally calm when under pressure. But, when he saw that Sora wasn't beating a path to his door, he was able to relax somewhat. He was ready for Sora…he had been for the longest time…but he just didn't feel like facing him yet.

However, Aros had learned of another young man that, again like himself, was a warrior. This warrior had been responsible for Sora's resurrection, of his freedom from the magical prison, Maleficent had said could never be broken. Although this other gladiator had arisen only recently, Aros knew all to well who they were. It was someone he'd hated for as long as he could remember, and he still hated him even now with even greater loathing:

Roxas Avalon.

The last he'd ever heard of Roxas Avalon was when Aros had visited Twilight Town, back before his "responsibilities" as "King" had appeared. Aros had been seeking to destroy his old nemesis, and when he'd discovered where he was living, he was all too eager to go after him. But, an unexpected situation arose, one that left Aros both terrified and outraged at the same time: Sora Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade, had arrived in Twilight Town to Seal its Heart from the threat of invasion.

Aros had been tempted to take out Sora and Roxas both. After all, he'd always heard the phrase "kill two birds with one stone," and he had a feeling that he could duplicate its meaning, his life would be the easiest it'd ever been. But, as quickly as the thought had entered his mind, he'd banished it. There was no way that he could rid himself of both of them when he had not the power to do so, not without risking his own death! Then, however, an idea had presented itself to him, one that he took full advantage of. Roxas was in love…he had a fiancée…and she was a descendant of the legendary Windom family, Guardians of Kingdom Hearts for countless generations.

At first, Aros was impressed. Roxas had set his standards high when he'd selected Naminé Windom as a potential mate. And, from what he'd seen when the two of them were with Sora, it appeared his efforts to court her had just about paid off. Only a disaster that was of cataclysmic proportions in nature could ruin his happily ever after. A disaster like Aros.

Aros's plan had been brilliantly simple. He'd kidnapped Naminé, then delivered her to Xemnas, the High Lord of Organization XIII. Oddly enough, he found out Xemnas had a disliking for Roxas, as well. That was when the idea hit him: Xemnas wanted Roxas, too. So, since Naminé was Roxas's fiancée, they could both have their way with Roxas. Xemnas could get a hold of Roxas for whatever reason he wanted, and Aros could have his fun and not only watch Xemnas do whatever he wanted to with Roxas, but he could have some _real_ fun and _really_ mess with his head by keeping Naminé all to himself.

All of the hoping and wishing and praying that Aros might've done were he the pious type still wouldn't have made his plan work out any better and more perfectly than it did. But, a couple interesting developments made things a little hairy. First, Naminé didn't survive the months of torturing that he and Xemnas made her go through. Second, instead of Sora losing the Keyblade because Roxas stole it to save Naminé, Roxas returned it to him after they found Naminé dying. The snags rectified themselves, however, when Aros found out Sora lost to Xemnas and Maleficent. Everything had worked out how he'd hoped it to.

But, Sora's coming back from the "dead" now complicated things again. With him alive, there stood a chance that all the plans Aros had been so meticulously setting up for the last decade would be ruined. This thought made Aros frown, turning his expression dark with frustration. Leaping up to his feet because of his sudden restlessness, Aros began to pace, his dark emerald eyes smoldering with simmering anger. He stalked around the room like an animal trapped in a cage, a sibilant growl rumbling in the pit of his throat. For the first time all day, Aros Validar spoke, albeit it was to himself.

"So…Sora Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade, has returned from the dead, has he? Well, well, well…_this_ is an interesting occurrence. I never imagined that _this_ would ever happen…I never planned for this in any of my ideas…"

Aros paused in mid-step and straightened up to his full height. He cocked his head to one side and blew his wild jet-black hair out of his wild eyes, as though listening for the thoughts that were hanging invisibly about in the room. He rubbed at his chin pensively and pursed his lips in serious concentration. "Sora's come back…but so has Roxas Avalon. I thought that spineless worm had vanished years ago…at least, I was hoping he did. It was either that or he died. Ah, well…another miscalculation. But, like they always say, nothing's perfect…"

He started pacing again. "Now, from what I can gather from my most recent information, Roxas went to find Sora eight years ago. Now, eight years later, Sora's free, Roxas is with him, and the two of them are back on the attack. This time, they're going to ensure Kingdom Hearts is Sealed for good, especially Sora. He's been here too long…he must be _dying_ to return to the Destiny Islands. I would be, were I him."

Pausing once more, Aros swirled around on his heels and stared out at the now evening sky, eyes locked on the heart-shaped moon rising out of the Eastern skies to take its place among the multitude of stars. An angry heat welled up from somewhere within his empty shell at the sight of the beautiful celestial body. "Ah, Kingdom Hearts…your Hero has come to save you yet again. Perhaps _this_ time around, you will be able to let him go home. You owe him that much, you know…that much and _so_ much more."

Turning his back on the moon, Aros restarted his prowling about the chamber. But then, he stopped again and turned his gaze outside at the horizon. "Sora may fight as hard as he wants, but I will not let him succeed. Maleficent and Xemnas won't be that much of a challenge for him…he's faced them once before. It won't take much effort to stop them once again."

He smiled wickedly, his eyes glittering with an almost insane light. "_I_, on the other hand, will not be so easy. He hasn't had to deal with my power yet. And believe me, Kingdom Hearts, I've got power…more than the Keyblade Master does…if anyone will stop him, it will be me."

The smile vanished as Aros turned away for the second time, the dark scowl returning to its former place. "Even if I had every ounce of power in Kingdom Hearts at my command, it still wouldn't be enough to keep Sora down. He's too stubborn…make it harder for him to complete his destiny, and he fights twice as hard. Make things apparently impossible for him to escape, and he somehow miraculously manages to walk away with his life intact, although he may be a bit worse for wear afterwards. He's very intelligent, that one…very intelligent and very dangerous…and that makes him a threat to all I've sought to achieve."

Approaching the windows, Aros leaned restlessly against one of the casings that kept the panes in place. Folding his arms across his narrow chest and allowing the dark anger that'd been stirring within him come roaring to the surface, he closed his eyes as if in pain and inhaled with agonizing slowness. He did this several times, as if to calm himself, and then he exhaled noisily on the last repetition as he voiced aloud his thoughts once more.

"For the last decade, I have been painstakingly setting all the pieces of my plans in place…all I've been waiting for is the right moment in which to make them all lock into place and become whole instead of fragmented, almost as if I were putting the last piece of a puzzle into its rightful spot. And now, just when I felt I was about ready to put the final phases of my brainchild in motion and complete that puzzle, the Keyblade master decides that naptime's over for him.

"My designs are just starting to bear fruit…I will not allow Sora to go crashing through the garden of my dreams and ruin them all with a couple good swipes from that Keyblade of his! Just because his dreams have been shattered a thousand times over doesn't mean he can come in and ravage mine instead!"

Growling, Aros spun away from the windows in a fluid swirl of his prized black cloak that was lined with a deep indigo blue satin. He stalked his way over to the throne and, with a dramatic flourish of his cloak, flopped back down into the throne with a disgruntled snort. "The rules of the game have changed," He mused. "There's been a new dimension added with Sora's arrival. For the longest time, I've had the game stacked in my favor. Now, the trick is…how am I to get things _back_ that way without tipping Sora off to the fact that he's a pawn in my plans?"

Aros sat there in the throne in total silence for what seemed like an eternity. His dark emerald eyes hooded over in deep thought, his heartbeat slowed to a state of near hibernation, breathing becoming so shallow it was almost as if he were within inches of not doing so anymore. He would've appeared to anyone that wasn't paying much attention he was just a part of the throne, almost like a statue carved just for that spot. But, closer observation would've revealed that he was still alive, but just in a state of great mental concentration.

Suddenly, Aros's eyes went wide in shock at the idea that'd just decided to hit him smack betwixt the eyes. His jaw went slightly slack, and he sat bolt upright with a snap of his fingers. "That's _it!_ I _can_ change the rules again! How does that old saying go…'don't play the ends against the middle,' is it…? Ah, no matter! I can use that phrase as my guideline for my new plans. I place Sora in the middle, then put Xemnas and Maleficent on either side of him! There! The game's all set to go!"

Inspired, Aros relaxed back into his formerly flopped repose. He let his gaze roam to wherever it wanted to, having it finally rest on the floor somewhere. "So, the lineup is that I have Maleficent and Sora take on Xemnas, Sora and Xemnas take on Maleficent, and Maleficent and Xemnas take on Sora. Now, Maleficent is powerful, but vulnerable. She knows she has her magic to protect her from harm, so the defenses around and outside her reach are much weaker than they are with Xemnas. Since Sora's faced Maleficent so many times, she shouldn't be a problem for him. After all, he could probably do it in his sleep.

"Xemnas, on the other hand, isn't a stupid man…far from it, in fact. He's the direct opposite. He's built up a solid defense, complete with needing a special kind of access to get to his World, and yet another to get into the Castle should Sora get too close. Further, he's got an organization of well-trained minions that are just as dangerous as he is, so Sora's not going to get to him anytime soon, and not without a fight."

Aros allowed a slight smile to come to his face. "Hmmm…I just found a rather interesting opportunity for me here. With Maleficent being defeated, Sora will turn his sights on Xemnas. That means I can step in undetected. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Infiltrators, if any, will learn of Maleficent's defeat…I've learned from being around them that word travels fast amongst the ranks. The few that are left will be clamoring to reach the top, and I know they'll do anything and everything their vile, wicked, backstabbing, petty hearts and putrid, foul, twisted minds can think of. It's their nature…they aren't going to violate their own instincts for survival, now, are they? _Heaven forbid!_

"However, they'll be so busy trying to duke it out for the number one spot that they won't realize it's gone…because _I'll_ have taken over! And, of course, I'll just lie in wait, not saying a word, until the victor of that bloody war comes to claim it and finds _me_ there instead! That last Infiltrator will be strong, to be sure, but I doubt they can handle my power.

"Once Xemnas is gone, that'll just leave Sora and myself. Now, the best opportunity to strike will be right after Sora gets rid of Xemnas. He'll be tired and weak, while I will be fresh and strong. Oh, yes, I know Sora will give all he's got…but, he'll be _so tired_ that he won't be able to lift his Keyblade! I'll have him right where I want him…alone, defenseless, and weak. And then, when I'm sure he can't fight back…" Aros chuckled cruelly as he drew his finger across his throat, almost as if beheading himself. "He'll be gone!"

Another thought crossed Aros's mind, making him serious and introspective again. "Hold on…with Xemnas dead, I can take over the Nobodies, too. There won't be anyone left to challenge me there…Sora will have killed all of my competition off. Then, when I've secured myself all of the powers of the Darkness, then I will be able to take on the Light without any trouble at all!

Aros laughed darkly. "I can almost see the look on Sora's face when he has to face an army so big that it would dwarf the size of the King's at odds of a thousand-to-one. It would be nice to have that kind of power at my disposal, too…after all, I will finally be able to put this castle, and my natural leadership skills, to good use." Aros took a forlorn look around the chamber and sighed. "Besides which, it would be nice to not have to talk to myself anymore. True, Heartless and Nobodies aren't _exactly_ the best when it comes to conversation, but it would be better than nothing. Who knows? Maybe I can turn Sora into one…now _that_ would be what I would call fun!"

Satisfied with his own brilliance, Aros shifted about until he got comfortable. Smirking with arrogant pride, he was just about to close his eyes and drop off to sleep when his brain suddenly kicked him back awake with a rather explosive jolt. He groaned in disgust and slapped a hand over his eyes as though he were punishing himself for some air-headed blunder.

"Aros, you idiotic dolt! You forgot there was yet another player in this whole thing! That accursed _Roxas Avalon!_ Why do you keep forgetting about him? You moron! Use your brain and think! That's what it's there for, don't you know!" With a heavy sigh as he concluded his admonishing self-lecture, Aros shrugged nonchalantly and nestled down into the throne's seat cushion a little bit more. "Ah, well…it's probably because he's not as much of a threat as Sora is."

Sighing with annoyance, his eyes narrowed as he felt his memory dig out more of its stored thoughts. "However, I heard rumors about him using a weapon that uses Keyblades itself…the KeyStaff, I believe…but, that is of no concern to me. I can almost guarantee his skills are nowhere _near_ the caliber Sora's must be by now. He may be able to use two weapons, and thus can defend himself twice as easily, but that doesn't necessarily make him a stronger foe. Weapons do not make the warrior, they always say…"

This time, when Aros shut his eyes, he knew his brain was going to let him rest. He could sleep in peace as last, what with his thoughts now being finally straightened out within his head. With a contented sigh, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep…

_It was dark and cold, almost frigid in temperature. The very air itself was so cold that he was frozen to the core. However, despite the chill, when he breathed his breath came out as though the air was not half-frozen. He felt as warm as if the Sun were always shining on him. He wished that he didn't feel that way, though…the cold and the dark was rather pleasing to him._

_He had known this place as his home for as long as he could remember. His eyes were used to the dark, almost as if the endless night was day. His instincts were always on the alert from intrusions. Nothing got past him…nothing! Not even the flicker of the most invisible and undetectable of shadows escaped his detection. He was a primal creature, a thing of the night, and he liked it that way._

_However, he was disgusted with his roommate. The other boy that existed in the Darkness with him was technically his brother, born from the same mother and sharing the same blood of both her and the same father, but they were as different as day and night. They had one other "brother," as well, one whose heart was truly attuned to the Light, and it was both of them he hated with a passion. Both were weak, and he was strong. Day in and day out he cursed his fate. Why did he have to have them as his "family?" Why couldn't he have relations of much darker stock, more like himself?_

_Many times over he had tried to seduce both to the Darkness with him, for it was his belief in the power of the shadows that made him so powerful. However, no matter how much and how often he tried, both denied him that power, especially the Light-oriented one. The other, just as strong but neither a being of Darkness or Light, preferred not to choose. It was for this reason that he deemed this "sibling" as the weakest, since he always remained undecided. He, personally, loved the Darkness…it was a comfort to him, almost like a security blanket._

_But, now, for some reason, he could tell that his "brother of the Light" was debating something very important, something that was very close to his paladin-like heart. He had been presented with an uncomfortable position, one where he had to decide whether to kill his friend or be killed himself for the sake of a mission that'd been deemed as his "destiny" since their birth. And, it appeared that neither way was going to provide answers and closure to this thorny problem._

_The appearance of the predicament was just the opportunity he'd been waiting for. _I have my chance,_ he thought with a wicked smile. _I have the chance to prove that my way is the best way, that the Darkness can give my "brother" the power to be free of this mess. If he follows my path, he will be strong enough to overcome any obstacle. Now, it'll just take some convincing…

"_Brother," He said. "I see that you have a problem on your hands. Please, tell me what is wrong. Perhaps I may be able to help."_

"_I thought I had found my friend, but it appears that I have lost him."_

"_Oh? And why do you say that?"_

"_Because he has become a servant to the Darkness…the very same Darkness that I am trying to exterminate. He is no longer my friend, but my enemy. I have tried to talk some sense into him, but he will not listen. My destiny commands that I kill him, but I have not the heart for it. However, if I do not kill him, he will kill me instead. He, as a servant of the Darkness, must destroy me. Our friendship means nothing to him anymore. We are rivals, and I don't want it to be that way."_

_He acted concerned. "Hmmm…that _is_ a problem. I can see why you are so disturbed…I would be, if I were in your place. Hmmm…perhaps there is a way that this whole thing can be avoided."_

"_There might be?"_

"_Possibly, yes."_

"_How?"_

_The question made him smile again. "Why, follow the path I take, of course."_

_His "brother" shook his head. "Take your way? No, I cannot."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because it is the way of destruction, not of salvation. My task is to _save_ everyone, not annihilate them. I follow your way, and I will undo all the good that I have done here. No, it's not possible."_

_He sat down next to his "brother" and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Brother, brother, brother…my way is not of destruction. No! My way is of _protection_, of strength and power. It is because I believe in my way that I do not fear the kinds of decisions that you are forced to make here. My way allows me to ignore such painful choices and go with whatever I want."_

_His "brother" looked over at him. "How is that possible? Do you just cut down everybody that stands in the way of what you want? You must be…that's why things are so easy for you. You don't have anybody standing in your path. All of those difficult decisions are nonexistent because you destroy everything that could cause a problem for you."_

"_Hardly. My way gives me enough power so that I don't have to do anything that drastic. The mere aura my power and might gives me is enough for people to step aside and let me pass by unharmed. It is that very same power that gets me anything and everything I want with no effort at all. You want to not lose your friend or give up your own life, am I right?"_

"_Yes, if I can help it."_

"_Well, the path I follow would allow you to do that. You could use the power to protect yourself _and_ your friend from the Darkness. Trust me, my brother, my way is not deceiving. Hardly. Look, if you don't believe me, then try it out for yourself. Give my way a test drive. If you don't like it, then switch back. But, whether you choose to stay or not, the power right now could let you walk away from this troubling matter unscathed. Go on, try it!"_

"_I don't know…"_

"_It'll work, trust me!"_

_A voice stopped him before he could continue his seduction._

"_Don't listen to him!"_

_Looking back, he could see the other "brother." His other "sibling," usually sitting silently away from them both, was now standing only a few feet away from them. It was the sight of the serious expression and tense body that made him laugh hollowly and darkly. "Well, well, well! What have we here? The Undecided One has finally made his choice, has he? Has he chosen the path of the Light instead of sitting silently by and watching the world go by without a care?"_

_A glare from his neutral "relative" silenced him. "Not likely. I am still neutral in nature. However, although I do not choose either Darkness or Light, I still know the difference between right and wrong. That is the beauty of neutrality…your views of what is right and just and what is wrong and unjust are unbiased because of the path you take. You see things at their deepest values, not just what's on the surface. Don't listen to him, brother…he's deceiving you."_

"_How would you know about deceit and lies? You just admitted it yourself that you are unbiased! Why are you showing that bias now?"_

"_I'm not," His "brother" replied. "What you speak of isn't in my heart. _You_, on the other hand, believe there is power in deception, aggression, lies, and murder. Destruction is the only way."_

"_And what of the Light? What of it and it's followers? What is _their_ dogma, hm? Can you tell me a bit about that one?"_

"_Being a paladin is just as bad as being a blackguard. Paladins are self-righteous, just as blackguards are self-serving. Both take what they want without a care. Oh, yes, paladins do so under the guise of helping the downtrodden, protecting the weak from the strong, and all that other nonsense, but really they are doing it because it makes them look good and allows them to get away with whatever they want without being punished for it."_

"_And the blackguards you spoke of? What of them?"_

"_They, too, desire all they want and take it without a care. But, blackguards reveal the true, hidden nature of the paladin, and then build upon it until they reek of its stench. To them, they love nothing more than having people cower in fear at their mighty wickedness. It makes them feel just as self-righteous as the paladin. Either way, both disgust me. That is why I choose to be neither paladin or blackguard. The way I am is just fine for me."_

_This brought another laugh from him. "You're just fine the way you are, are you? How novel for you!" He smiled and turned back to his other "sibling," who was apparently mulling over if he should listen to him or take the Neutral One's advice and stay put on his own true path. "Do not listen to him, my brother. He is hoping that his ways will cause you to see the pointlessness in your valiant efforts. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. Go my way, follow me, and you shall never fail!"_

_His neutral counterpart came over and sat down on the other side of their "brother" and spoke to him. "You don't want that kind of life, brother. The power he speaks of will only drag your heart down into Darkness. You will become someone that you will despise. You shall turn into those that you have sworn to destroy. Once you go down that path, there is no turning back. Your heart will crave that power so much that it will only seek greater amounts of it. You shall never go back to the way you were. Once you touch the Darkness, you are forever changed. Stay where you are…you'll be much happier that way."_

"_Please! Listen to you, getting all preachy all of a sudden!" He snorted._

"_I'm not preaching, I am telling the truth."_

"_There is no truth! There is just knowledge and ignorance! My way gives its followers knowledge of anything and everything they so desire!"_

_Again the icy glare stopped him. "Yes, but only through deceit, lies, and murder!"_

_He was becoming angry now. "I do not deceive others! I do not lie! I do not murder! I may follow that path, but I do none of those things! How dare you accuse me of such crimes!"_

"_Stop lying. You see? You're even lying to yourself. Look closely, brother, and see in our brother what will happen to you should you listen to his lies. Do you want to become like him, a liar, a thief, a cheat, and a heartless killer? No, I don't think that way would fit you. Your heart is too noble. Resist the temptation, brother…there are other, less volatile ways to solve your problems."_

"_What do _you_ know about resisting temptation and discovering other ways to solving problems, eh? You have never had to resist anything in your life! You always _avoided_ problems instead of try to work your way through them! You know nothing of what you're talking about! Unless you practice what you preach, then do not preach it!"_

_Their "brother" seemed agitated by their argument. His face darkened in irritation, eyes churning with stormy shades. Suddenly, he stood up abruptly and turned his back to him. He spoke so low that it took them straining their hearing to its greatest extent to hear it. "Stop it."_

_He and the Neutral One were amazed at what the "brother" had said. He was the one that spoke. "What did you say?"_

"_I said stop it!" The "brother" replied, this time yelling aloud. "Neither one of you know a thing about my heart! You do not know how much this decision that I have to make hurts me! I never thought that I would ever have to choose between taking someone else's life or have mine be taken! I will not let anyone try to tell me otherwise! My mind's made up! I am not going to follow either of the paths the two of you have taken! Neither one would help me here! One would make me run from the choice, and the other would make the choice for me! No! I won't be controlled!"_

_The Neutral One turned to look at him. He looked back, amazed to see that they were both wearing the same expression of startled shock. Puzzled, he turned back to their "brother" and spoke again. "But, if you won't go either way, and you can tell that your way cannot offer you what you need to avoid killing or being killed, then what are you going to do?"_

_The "brother" called forth his weapon. "I will let neither happen. My friend shall not die by my hand, and he shall not kill me by his own. I know how to stop all of this: I will make the decision myself."_

_He stared on in horror as he could hear his "brother" take a deep breath, then grunt with pain. He saw his body shudder and go rigid. Then, his "brother's" weapon reappeared in his vision, stained red with blood. When he was able to finally gather his scattered wits, his voice was nothing but a choked whisper. "Oh, my God…brother…what did you do? You just killed _yourself!_ Why on Earth did you do that?"_

_The "brother" turned around, his eyes clouding over with death. "I took my own life so it did not have to be taken. With my being dead, my friend's life shall be spared, as well. However, I will not die alone. I want nothing to do with the two of you. You both tried to seduce me, whether you want to admit it or not. I will no longer have you try to control my heart."_

_The sight of the weapon being raised sent a chill of icy fear through his body, and he shivered as though touched by an electric shock. "Brother…no…you wouldn't do this! You wouldn't kill me, your brother! I helped you!"_

"_You never helped me. You only helped yourself," Replied the "brother" as he staggered forward._

_The Neutral One was also afraid. "No…brother…what about me? I never did anything to harm you! It is only now that I spoke up in your defense! Brother, spare me! Kill him if you must, but I am not guilty of betraying your heart! No!"_

"_No, brother. If one of you dies, the other must, as well. Brothers never separate. I will die for what is right, but you shall die because you are of the Darkness, too. The Darkness must fall…even within me."_

"_But," The Neutral One stammered, "I am not of the Darkness! I never was!"_

"_You lie. Neutrality allows you to follow both paths without the consequences of not being able to turn back. You can tell me not to listen to the Darkness, but you cannot resist its call…you can partially hear it yourself. No, you only sought to help yourself, as well. That is why you must die, as well."_

_The scream could not even escape his throat as the steely bite of the weapon punched its way through his chest, right through his heart, stole his breath. He could hear the scream of the other "brother" as he collapsed to the ground. He could faintly hear his blood burbling and bubbling as it came gushing out of his wound like a fountain. He exhaled his last breath as his vision began to dim, and he could vaguely see the "brother" of the Light as he took a couple halting steps into the dark mists. His ears went totally deaf before he could discern if his "brother" was struggling to survive his suicide or not. He lost all grasp on consciousness as his vision last caught sight of his "brother" as he walked away from them, abandoning them to their final fates._

_Brother…no…Brother, come back! Brother…don't let me die here…!_

The scream that'd been caught in Aros's throat in the throes of his nightmares suddenly found its freedom. He bolted upright as his scream flew from his mouth and echoed into the empty Throne Room. His breath came to him in ragged, frigid gasps, and he could feel his heart racing like rolling thunder in his chest.

Shivering with cold sweat, Aros's eyes bolted around the chamber. He caught sight of the Sun hanging in the mid-afternoon skies. How long had he been asleep? An hour? Two hours? A day or more? He had no sense of the time.

The thought of the sound of blood roiling in its gushing escape from a chest wound made Aros instinctively clutch at his chest, right over where his heart was. He looked at his hand and sighed in relief at the sight of it being clean, unmarked with the tinge of his vital fluid. He _wasn't_ dying…he was alive!

A feeling of betrayal welled up inside of Aros. It was both bitter in taste and hot in temperature, making him queasy and setting his heart pounding again. His brother had betrayed him, all so he could selfishly carry on his mission of being a Champion of the Light! From the little information he knew, his brother was still alive, somewhere out there in Kingdom Hearts, seeking vainly for truth and absolution, still searching for the elimination of the Darkness that he was destined to vanquish.

Exhausted and in agony, Aros Validar flopped back into his former position. He stared hatefully up at the high, vaulted ceiling. The anger rumbled inside of him again, and this time he let it escape. His stentorian roar carried with it all of the power of the resentment and blazing hatred, echoing in the one name that he'd cursed with everything he had for the last decade:

"_Sora Kasasagi!_"


	27. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Going for the Gold

_Sherwood Forest – Road to Nottingham_

Sora scratched behind his left ear, which was, like his right, now perched on top of his head amidst a ruffle of the same dark golden brown hair he had in his normal form. He'd instantly known he'd entered a new World after heading into the forests surrounding Beast's Castle when he'd noticed that his hands had become covered in fur the same color as his hair and tipped with ivory claws for fingernails. The final tip-off had been when a bushy tail whipped around from behind him and flicked him across the front of his right knee.

A flock of birds that stood about twenty paces before the transformed Keyblade Master scattered as a golden-blonde fox came bursting out of the bushes, fangs flashing, jaws snapping and gray eyes gleaming as it managed to snag one of the forest-dwelling avians for lunch. Sora felt his stomach churn as the creature vanished into the bushes alongside the edge of the road. _That was disgusting!_

Naomé growled and shook her head as she spat out the dust-ridden feathers that'd come flying off the creature's neck in her impromptu hunting trip, tripping clumsily over her feet as she extricated herself from the foliage. "_Eeyuck!_ I don't know how foxes can do this! It's disgusting!"

A loud shout of dismay made Naomé jump out of the way just in time to see Roxas, transformed into a lanky raccoon, come tumbling out of the trees and into Sora, who'd been magically metamorphosed into a squirrel. The normally sharp black fur that matched with the white of the raccoon's markings was a very pale golden brown-blonde color, giving Roxas the hint of an exotic lineage. Those eerie, laughter-filled crystal blue eyes of his, however, remained unchanged, and his new set of fangs made his goofy smile even more ridiculous. "Hey, Naomé! Did you see that?"

Angrily, Sora threw all his strength into hurling Roxas off of him. "Well, if she didn't see it, I certainly _felt_ it!" He shouted, taking a swipe at his now gangling and stripe-furred friend.

Naomé was doubled over in laughter as she watched Roxas try and throw hasty apologies in between leaps as Sora used his new form to nimbly chase his friend through the canopy of trees. Up ahead, though, KazeRyu, whose form had remained unaltered, was tracing the path the following with his keen eyesight from beneath a brow hooded with disapproval of the actions of Sora Kasasagi and Roxas Avalon. _Do they not understand this not the time for games?_ He thought irritably as his sharp ears detected the creaking of axles and clattering of wheels skipping over stones in the path up ahead of them, which could just barely be heard over the trumpets and drums. Also, his sensitive paws felt the ground vibrate just slightly as something pounded out a continuous marching rhythm.

_Hmmm…creaking axles, clattering wheels, musical fanfare…somebody in a carriage is headed this way, and a select honor guard accompanies them. Hmmm…best get off the road while we can. We re in a strange World, one I am fairly certain even I was unaware of, and until we know what the atmosphere is like here, it is best to duck low and blend in._

Roxas noticed that KazeRyu had stepped off the road and began trekking his way through the bushes, crimson robes hardly making a sound as his wolfish friend nearly vanished amongst the dappled shadows. "Hey, Kaze!" He hissed. "What are you doin'? We should stick to the road! The going's easier!"

Kaze paused and glanced up at Roxas from beneath his now drawn hood. "If you were not aware, my friend, there is a carriage with an honor guard accompanying it headed our direction."

"So?" Sora replied. "Maybe it's King Mickey!"

"Nonsense, Keybearer, and you know it," KazeRyu remarked dryly. "Why would the King of Kingdom Hearts be traveling his kingdom when it is wrought with so much turmoil? Besides, this World is foreign, even to me, and I think it is most unwise that we remain within the sights of the approaching coach, especially if the rider is an Infiltrator or Organization member. The way would be most unkind to us if we were discovered without even really making an effort to get to the bottom of this World's troubles."

Sora smacked a hand upside his own head in frustration. "Wind Dragon!" He groaned. "We already know what's going on here! There's Heartless and Nobodies about! We just need to get in here, beat the bad guys, find the Guardian, get the Ring, Seal the Keyhole and go on to the next step on the path to setting my going home for once and for all straight!"

Naomé was instead the one that replied, her tone as severe as her friends had ever heard it, the snarl gritted out through clenched and bared fangs. "That may be all well and true, Sora Kasasagi, but do not forget that you are not the only one in Kingdom Hearts that wishes to 'go home.' There are a great many others all over Kingdom Hearts that are wishing and thinking and feeling the same things you are right now, and I'm certain many of them have felt that kind of desperation and pain for the last decade or more! Trust Kaze's words and get your bottle-brush-tailed bottom down here, before I come up there and _drag you_ down by it!"

Terrified at the thought of what Naomé might do to them if they didn't comply with her order, both Sora and Roxas dove to the ground and fell in step with their friends, diverting just far away enough from the road so that they could observe and not be observed in turn.

KazeRyu's ears had been dead on when they'd alerted him to the carriage. The coach, the leisurely ride prepared for Prince John of Sherwood Forest, was making its way to the Royal Family's summer home, which lay on the outskirts of the village of Nottingham. Pulled by two burly elephants and protected by an honor guard of eight rhinoceros guards, the royal coach was an almost walking fortress in itself. What made it stand out even more was that it was being heralded by two elephants trumpeting out the royal fanfare and with another rhino pounding out a steady beat on a massive drum.

Inside the coach, Prince John, baby brother to King Richard, was giggling like the spoiled brat he was by running his fingers through a massive bag of gold as a small child would run their hands through running water. His advisor and most loyal subject, Sir Hiss, a snake that was as devious as he was dull-witted, watched on as the princely puerile played with his shining toys.

"Taxes! Taxes!" Prince John laughed, flipping a small handful of coins into the air and watching with delight as they fell back into the bag and sent several more airborne. "Oh, how I love to see taxes! Look here, Hiss, and see me a happy beast! Look upon me, my most trusted servant, and delight with me in enjoying the wealth that has been given to us!"

"Yes, Sire, most definitely," Sir Hiss remarked. "The beauty of it dazzles my very eyes to the point where I cannot look upon them for fear of blinding myself! Indeed, they are a remarkable thing to look upon!"

Prince John grinned from ear to ear. "Most definitely! Now, Hiss, where's our next stop?"

Sir Hiss casually pulled out a scroll from the jar-like basket he called home and unfurled it on the dining table. "Hmmm…oh, yes! The next stop is Nottingham, Sire."

The Prince's grin turned wickedly sweet. "How droll! Nottingham! The very sound of it coming off of my tongue is music to my ears! Nottingham! Nottingham! O for where art thou, Nottingham! Beautiful, really, just absolutely marvelous!" He giggled cruelly as he withdrew from a lacquered box a beautiful crown made of gold and inset with a rainbow of sparkling gems and set it atop his narrow head. His merriment, however, became short-lived as the crown slid down over his ears, over his eyes and finally coming to rest on the bridge of his nose and blocking his sight like a precious metal blindfold set with shards of polished and faceted stained glass.

It took everything Sir Hiss had within his rope-like body to keep from bursting out laughing. Instead, he fixed his eyes on one of the corners of the carriage and began showering Prince John with compliments. "My, what a beautifully prefect fit, Sire! Why, if I could wear that crown, I wouldn't look even close to Your Majesty! Your grace, your poise, your noble bearing, the crown says-"

"Ah, ah, ah…don't overdo it," The Prince cautioned, removing the crown from around his head. Fiddling about with his ears, he finally managed to make them behave themselves, becoming an effective support for the crown that rightfully belonged on the head of his elder brother, King Richard. Turning his head this way and that, Prince John admired his reflection in the mirror Sir Hiss was holding up for him. "There…perfect! A crown fit for a King!"

Sir Hiss cleared his throat. "More like a crown fit for a Prince, Majesty."

Prince John took the correction at Hiss's attempt to help him the wrong way, making his childish royal temper explode. "A _Prince?_ A _Prince_, did you just say?"

"Now, now, Sire, please let me explain-" "Absolutely not!" Prince John roared. "The wearer of this crown has power over all of Sherwood Forest! I have the power! Do you hear me, Hiss? I have power! Not Richard, _me!_"

Hiss attempted to placate his employer. "Now, Sire…"

Prince John snorted derisively as he folded his scrawny arms across his sunken chest and threw his lean body back into the overstuffed silken cushions that lined the plush seating. He glared icily at Sir Hiss, a murderous gleam in his eyes.

"Please, Sire, let me finish," Sir Hiss said soothingly. "All is not bad. I goofed up on my words…it happens. Besides, do not forget what we did to get a hold of that crown. Do you remember the time that I hypnotized your brother, and-"

"And sent him off on that crazy Crusade? Oh, yes, yes, I remember!" John replied, laughing outright. "That was right brilliant, Hiss!"

Sir Hiss nodded in between giggling. Then, when he got control of himself, he continued. "Of course, much to the sorrow of the Queen Mother?"

This brought a babyish yowl from Prince John. "_Mother!_ How could I forget?" But then, the royal visage became one of infantile jealousy, eyes gleaming green. "Mother always did like Richard," The Prince sniveled. "She always liked him better than me!" Then, blubbering at his "painful" childhood memories, Prince John of Sherwood Forest sank lower into the plush seating and began sucking his thumb rather noisily and making the grunting sounds of a lion cub suckling.

The noise of lips sucking thumb drove Hiss insane. Although snakes were not known to have sensitive ears, the ears of Sir Hiss were undoubtedly perceptive. He wrinkled his reptilian nose ever so slightly as he addressed his impish sovereign. "Sire, please…you see, you have a very loud thumb…"

But Prince John ignored him, still sucking away in his childhood fantasies.

Sir Hiss sighed. _So much for getting through to him…_

Meanwhile, up in a set of trees around the area where Sora, Roxas, Naomé and KazeRyu were, a coppery-brown fox and a golden-brown grizzly bear that were dressed in Lincoln green tunics peeked down from the branches. They had just finished their flight from the Sherriff of Nottingham, and were now catching their breath and enjoying the beautiful summer afternoon. The two friends had just struck up a conversation when they'd heard the approach of the Prince's carriage.

The fox grinned devilishly as he heard the fanfare of the trumpets and drum. Putting a hand to his ear, he nodded in contempt to the sound of the music in the air. Glancing back at his companion, he began to rub his hands together gleefully. "Well, well, sounds like another collection day for the poor, eh, Johnny boy?"

In response, the bear doffed his cap and held it to is heart. With a fond smile, he rolled his eyes to the skies. "Yeah…sweet charity…"

Sora thought he heard noise up in the trees above him. Taking advantage of the fact that the squirrel was a master climber of trees, he had shot up one as fast as a flash of lightning, Keyblade clenched tight between his now sharp white teeth. Tail twirling about busily as he searched the area, he noticed movement over across the way, eyes catching sight of the rustling bushes. If he strained his hearing, he could barely make out the sound of sniggering and jangling as the sounds drew closer to him.

The Master of the Keyblade frowned darkly_. Hmph…that can't be Heartless…they don't have voices, and they don't laugh, either. But maybe…that might be an_ Infiltrator! _I'd better tell the others!_

Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest skidded to a halt several yards away from the road, trying to hide his laughter as he finished donning his costume. Now in a blue dress and wearing a dark brown wig, the fox looked hardly like a hero. He threaded two brass hoops through his ears and adjusted the skirt that had various tassels and polished brass discs attached to them. He snickered to himself. Gypsy fortunetellers! Who'd have thought that two men could pose as a mystic and her assistant?

His friend, Little John, was also dressing up as a girl. Fluffing a shoulder-length blonde wig and wriggling his way into a stripy dress that almost looked two sizes too small for him, he tried to make himself look as feminine as possible. Also attempting to keep his mirth in check, he pulled out a compact that held some fine blush in it. Puffing a bit of the powder on each cheek, his masculinity virtually vanished in the blink of an eye.

Cackling for the last time, Robin Hood and Little John huddled in close together. The two were preparing to discuss what they were going to do to get Prince John's attention when a sarcastic but seriously polite voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Good afternoon, ladies. I take it you cannot find your way to the grand ball. Would you like an escort? My friends and I would have no trouble getting you there."

Fox and bear whirled around to see a squirrel dressed in a black-and-white jacket that had silver armored shoulders and a black-and-red outfit underneath it and wearing oversized-looking yellow, black, and white shoes was leaning casually against the trunk of a tree, gloved hands folded across his chest and a quirky yet suspicious smile on his noble features. His ears stuck up from within a mess of spiky dark golden brown fur on his head, and his piercing eyes caught their gaze with an almost supernatural stare. The squirrel's tail swished about his knees, and his right hand appeared to be clutching a key-like weapon.

"Who are you?" Robin blurted, his female voice forgotten.

A golden-blonde fox dressed all in black stepped out of the bushes. Beside her was a raccoon with golden-brown-blonde markings and clothed in a black shirt with a black jacket and a pair of black jeans and black boots. These two stopped behind the squirrel, who had moved from his position against the tree and was now standing before Robin and John with his key-like weapon readied. The raccoon conjured up from out of nowhere a staff with two more key-like weapons attached to it and prepared it for battle.

The fox spoke. "We could ask the same question to you, fox."

Robin and John spun around to run away when a lean wolf dressed in deep amethyst purple robes and wielding a strange sword blocked their path. "Going somewhere?" The wolf hissed threateningly. "I don't think so…not until you tell us who you are."

"What is this, anyway?" Robin spluttered.

"So, is this how the Sherriff is gonna handle us? Sending a bunch of plains-clothed deputies to round us up, eh?" Little John sneered, rolling up his dress sleeves. "Fine! Bring it on!"

Roxas growled and cracked his knuckles. "Fine, then. Bring it on, bear! It's about time that somebody takes you back to the circus that you escaped from! That's the only place I've ever seen a bear wear clothes like _that!_"

Sora banished his Keyblade. "I don't need my Keyblade to handle pests like you! I can take you on with my bare hands! C'mon! Come and get me!"

Naomé stepped between the two groups before a punch could be thrown. "Whoa, hold on a minute!" She shoved Sora back a couple steps and right next to Roxas. "Put your weapon down, Roxas!" She ordered. "And Sora, you don't need your hands nor your Keyblade to fight with. Your mouth alone would be sufficient!"

Roxas burst out laughing at Sora's bewildered expression, which looked even more hilarious because he jaw was dropped wide open. _Good job, Naomé!_ He thought.

Naomé turned back to Robin and John. "All right, you two. Listen up! We're not deputies of this 'Sherriff' that you speak of. We're newcomers here, and we have no idea where we are and what direction we are headed in. My friend here-" She said, glancing meaningfully at Sora, "-thought that maybe you'd be able to provide us with some help. So, if you please, we'd like to get some information, and we'd greatly appreciate it if you would start with your names."

KazeRyu was impressed. _Naomé? Acting as diplomat? Now _there_ is something I doubt anybody ever gave thought to seeing in her! Except for her family, anyway…very good, Naomé…you're improving yourself…good…_

It seemed Naomé's attempt at being courteous had brought out a better side of Robin Hood and Little John, especially Robin. The crafty fox in a woman's dress immediately piped up and gave the information without trouble. "I'm Robin Hood, and this is my best buddy, Little John. As for where you are, you are in Sherwood Forest."

_Sherwood Forest?_ Naomé almost swallowed her teeth. _Robin Hood and Little John? I'm actually inside one of my favorite stories? I loved "Robin Hood" when I was a little girl! My friend David and I used to pretend that we were Robin Hood and Maid Marion all the time! I actually get to meet my childhood hero? Whoa! Now, the only thing is, where's Maid Marion?_

It appeared Roxas had also read the stories of Robin Hood, as he appeared to be shocked by this startling new information. Sora, for the third in the group, was the most shocked of all, as it was obvious that he'd never given thought to just how many other Worlds there could have possibly been in Kingdom Hearts. The fox, the squirrel, and the raccoon just stood in silent stupefaction, eyes bugged out and jaws slacked.

KazeRyu was the only one that didn't appear to be amazed by Robin's revelations. He instead began further questioning. "All right. So, now we know who you are and where we are, but what I want to know what you are doing. You both are obviously male, so why are you dressing up as women? Perverted fantasies, perhaps?"

Roxas and Sora made disgusted faces that were outright comical in nature. It looked like they were going to throw up!

Naomé clamped covered her muzzle with a hand to try and not start laughing like Roxas had. _That was _gross! _A funny kind of gross, but it was still gross…_

"Actually, no," Robin replied. "In fact, you are more than welcome to watch the show we are about to put on."

"Show?" Roxas echoed. "What kind of show?" He flashed Robin and John a teasing grin. " Now, it wouldn't happen to be that little circus I was mentioning earlier, now could it?"

Sora snickered.

KazeRyu rolled his eyes.

Naomé elbowed Roxas in the ribs and glared at him.

"Watch it, 'coon," John warned.

Robin shooed John off with a hand. "Now, John, be nice. The boy was teasing. Besides, we can explain it." He turned back to Roxas and smiled winningly. "Now, what we are about to do is pull of a little show that we like to pull all the time with the local stuffed shirts. You know, the uppity folk?"

"The noble class?" Naomé asked. "Dangerous doings, my friend."

"Ah, but that makes it all the more fun," Robin replied. "Anyway, we have a special show that we're going to pull off here…the carriage that is approaching is the royal coach."

"_Royal?_" Sora gagged. "That's _suicidal!_"

"Stealing from royalty has more risks than rewards," KazeRyu said sagely. "And the risks far outweigh the rewards."

"So do the penalties," Robin added with a smile. "Still, it is a brilliant plot, one we've pulled off numerous times with others. Today just happens to be our lucky day."

Roxas frowned. "So, what do you do? Steal?"

Robin pouted. "Don't be that way. We don't steal. We prefer to call it-"

"Robbing the rich to feed the poor," Naomé said. "You take the money from the nobles and give it to those who are truly in need of it…those who don't even have one coin to rub between their fingers."

"Absolutely," Robin Hood replied. "Now, you four are welcome to help-"

"No way!" Sora barked. "I'm not going to get involved with the wrong side of the law! Forget it!"

"But think of the people that could benefit from it," Naomé urged. "I know for a fact that injustice is your biggest pet peeve."

"So?"

"So, that means that what Robin is trying to correct is an injustice. The rich are keeping the money all to themselves while the poor starve. The people that make the money don't get to spend any of it, while those that don't work at all get to spend it all!"

"Yeah, true. But still, stealing it? That's hardly the way to do it!"

Roxas elbowed Sora. "What would you prefer, Sora? Start a peasant uprising?"

"Better than resorting to being a common criminal!"

"Yes, but think about it from their perspective for a minute," Naomé reasoned. "If you steal the money, then chances are you won't get caught because everyone is a suspect, not just you. Now, if a group of peasants rise up, they're going to be arrested on the spot and imprisoned, which will make their desperate efforts all for nothing. See? Stealing is better in this case. Besides, Sora, these poor people need help. They can't get it on their own, so they need somebody stronger to do it. You're more than strong enough. Lend a helping heart."

Sora frowned. "Well…"

Naomé placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Please?"

The Master of the Keyblade glanced over at the Second Keybearer. "This means a lot to you, doesn't it? You really want to help these people, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I know the hopelessness they're feeling from personal experience. I was in their place once. I was left on my own and barely able to survive."

"You were? How?" Roxas said, giving Naomé a puzzled glance.

"When my father died, my mother and I were left to take care of ourselves. We didn't have anybody to help us, and furthermore nobody _wanted_ to help us. We could barely make a living off of the money my mother was making at her job, and I was far too young to even go out and offer to mow people's lawns."

Sora sniggered, but Roxas promptly shut him up by elbowing him sharply in the ribs. He glowered right back at Sora when his friend glared at him but said nothing so Naomé could continue telling them. "Go ahead, Naomé. We're listening."

"Thanks, Roxas. Anyway, I felt horrible my mother had to do so much to take care of me. All I could do was sit by and watch her. Several times, I stole things in order to try and help my mother out so she didn't have to work so hard. I didn't like it, and I hate to even have to admit it, but when it came down to it, preservation of life was more important than preservation of pride."

Robin nodded sadly. "I know how that feels. It's awful." But then he brightened. "Of course, now you can make other people not have to deal with the same things that you dealt with! That's noble of you!"

Roxas stared hard at Sora. "There, you see? You're doing something for a good cause. C'mon, Sora…just this once. Please?"

Sora frowned and folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, all right. But, I'll do it only on one condition. I don't touch a single coin! I'll help get it, but I refuse to touch it!"

Naomé giggled from behind a hand clamped over her mouth. "Done deal!"

Prince John heard voices outside of the coach. Popping his head out from behind the curtains that protected him from the elements, he was amazed to discover a Gypsy vixen and her bear assistant were standing on the side of the road and waving at them. The Gypsy was waving at him, and the bear was skillfully flipping about a crystal ball.

The Prince was immediately interested. _Free entertainment! Absolutely wonderful!_ "Fortune tellers! How droll! Stop the coach!"

Sir Hiss immediately voiced his concerns. "Sire…they may be bandits…"

"Oh, poppycock," Prince John replied. "_Female_ bandits? What's next? Robin Hood? Ha!" He turned back to Robin Hood and Little John and extended his hands towards them. "You have my permission to kiss the royal fingers, whichever you like."

Robin noticed the Prince was wearing several rings with large jewels in elaborate settings. Flipping a sly, secretive wink at Little John, Robin knelt before the Prince and gently reached for the noble's right hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty."

Sir Hiss was suspicious of the disguised men, and he gave Robin a very wary glance. Suddenly, he gasped with shock as he witnessed Robin slip the ring off of Prince John's finger and into a hidden pocket in his skirt. His reptilian heart began pounding. _I knew it! The women are bandits! His Majesty must know!_ He attempted to get Prince John's attention by intentionally tickling his tongue in the Prince's ear.

Prince John didn't get the message. He instead squirmed in surprise and waggled a finger from the right hand that Robin had just kissed inside of it. "Hiss! Stop hissing in my ear!"

Robin tried hard not to reveal his smile too greatly. _That stupid snake…and I should definitely mention stupid Prince John to boot. This is going to be good…far better than I imagined…_

Little John kissed the Prince's left hand, skillfully "sucking" the jewels out of their settings. When Hiss glared suspiciously at him, John grinned mockingly and smiled hugely, revealing he'd cleverly managed to keep the jewels clenched tightly in his teeth.

This was too much for Hiss, who now ticked Prince John's left ear in earnest. _This is too much! Now His Majesty_ has _to realize that something's amiss!_

Again, the message was misinterpreted. Prince John, when he felt Hiss tickle his ear, reacted violently. Snarling, he snatched Hiss tightly in a clawed hand. "Hiss! You have hissed your last!" He thundered, tying the serpent's body in a tight square knot. With Hiss gurgling and gagging as he attempted to explain his intentional annoyance, Prince John hurled him, hat and all, into a large wicker basket, slammed the hood on it and then promptly plopped himself down on top of it, trapping the snake inside.

Robin and John tried not to laugh. Instead, Robin stepped into the coach and Little John stepped back so as to give his "master" some respectful distance.

Prince John glowered at the basket beneath his bottom. "Suspicious snake," He hissed in a perfect mimicry of his serpentine servant.

"Masterfully done, Your Excellency," Robin congratulated the Prince as he yanked on the draw cord that pulled the curtains shut. _On to stage two!_

Outside, hidden in the trees, Naomé, Sora, Roxas and KazeRyu were trying their best not to start bursting out laughing at the antics of Robin Hood and Little John. Hiss's performance with irritating the Prince had been a spectacular spectacle to watch.

Naomé, in a surprising action that was highly unusual for her normally serious nature, perfectly "emulated" the Prince and his snake's performance with herself and her jacket. She caused great hilarity amongst her close friends as she threw her jacket off her shoulders in a flashy flourish, whipped it around from behind her with a quick jerk of her hands, promptly tied it in a square knot, flung it down on the ground, and then fell bottom-first onto it in the dirt, stubbornly folding her arms across her chest and glowering like Prince John as a final touch.

Roxas was laughing so hard that his sides were hurting him, and he was compelled to collapse down into the dust next to his friend. He caught her eye and smiled flirtingly at her, with which she responded with a playful toss of her head and a sly wink in his direction. Roxas found himself laughing even harder. _This is fun! I'm beginning to really like Naomé…she's a really fun woman to be around in spite of being so serious…there's just something about her that makes her irresistible…I just wish I could put my finger on it…_

As for Sora, he had discovered a use for his new tail…covering his face and mouth so he didn't have to worry about using his hands so much. He curled up into a ball and buried himself in his tail, ears sticking out from the fur and visibly quivering as he snickered noisily into his recently acquired "appendage." _I never imagined Naomé could be so funny! This is different for her…I wonder what's up? Is she actually enjoying herself that much? Maybe that's good for her…I don't know…I never asked her what it was that made her so serious all the time…I guess I'll have to…as long as she doesn't kill me for it…_

Robin Hood knew that he was playing a testy game with the Prince of Sherwood Forest. Prince John was somewhat airheaded, but that didn't mean he didn't have any power. After all, he _had_ been the one that'd issued the "warrant" for Robin's arrest, so that meant that if the Prince figured out that the Gypsy vixen before him was in fact his wanted man, it would be curtains for Robin's career as a master of disguise.

Prince John was completely oblivious to the possibility that Robin was sitting across the table from him. Being somewhat superstitious and always pondering if he was revered or reviled, he was always looking for ways to discover what his true standing with his subjects was. What better way than to ask a Seer for help to answer that most troublesome question on his mind beside that of how to stop Robin Hood?

Little John listened in on Robin's hoodwinking of Prince John. Keeping his mirth to a minimum, the bear cohort of Robin Hood fiddled with the crystal ball he'd been so convincingly flipping about, doing his best to tie it to a piece of fishing line that was attached to a homemade fishing rod. Gently, he shook the orb, which held a number of fireflies within it.

"C'mon, babies…glow, babies, glow," He coaxed the tiny lightning bugs, finally managing to convince them to light up. Taking the fishing rod in his hands, he poked it through the back curtains and held it high up in the air so as to give the effect of floating spirits in the air.

Sora strained his vision to try and catch what Little John was doing. When he realized that it was hard for him to see due to the fact that a squirrel is a shorter creature than a raccoon, a fox or a wolf, he decided to appeal to his vixen friend. "Hey, Naomé, can a fox see better than a squirrel?"

"I don't know," Naomé replied with a wry smirk. "Why don't you ask a fox and a squirrel and find out for yourself?"

Roxas snickered into his hands. "Good one, Naomé!"

KazeRyu smirked. "Yes, Naomé. Good job. I have never heard that one before. Clever."

Scowling at his own stupidity, Sora suddenly recalled that squirrels were good at climbing trees. _Why do I keep forgetting that? Oh, yeah…I've never had to worry about it before…oh, well…first time for everything, I guess…_ Taking to a nearby trunk for the second time in the last hour or so, the Master of the Keyblade shot his way up into the canopy of Sherwood Forest. He glanced back down at Naomé and rapped out a smart-mouthed response to her. "I was wrong, Naomé. A _squirrel _can see better than a fox can. Squirrels can climb trees!"

Naomé huffily placed her hands on her hips. "Careful, _squirrel._ Remember that the higher you climb, the harder you'll fall. And all it'll take is one good shake-" she roughly kicked the tree for emphasis, making Sora nearly lose his balance, "-to find out what a squirrel's pelt can make."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora called back down.

"It means that the fall will kill you if you climb high enough and make a mistake, and I'll be able to see just how warm squirrel fur is when I make a hat, vest, and gloves from your fur and a matching scarf from your tail. I've heard fox fur works well, but I'm not willing to go about skinning myself to find out. So, I'll experiment a little bit. I'm always open to more choices. In fact, I like it that way."

Sora cringed. "You're dangerous, do you know that? Sheesh, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you _wanted_ me dead!"

Naomé smirked. "That would mean that I would have to be the First Keybearer then, wouldn't I? And as for being dangerous, I'm sure _someone_ you know could be just as dangerous if not more so than I. Couldn't she, Sora?"

"Don't get her involved in this," Sora growled in warning as he turned back to watch the rest of the "road show." _Kairi could be that dangerous…I just hope that she, if she's still alive, never has to take herself to that point to survive. I want to protect her, not the other way around!_ He was so irritated and preoccupied with his thoughts of Kairi that he didn't even notice when Roxas had picked an acorn up off the ground and had hit him square in the middle of the back with it.

"Shh, Sire, you'll break the spell…just watch closely…and I'll be able to tell you your future…"

Prince John was enraptured with Robin's performance. He watched transfixed as Robin brought the orb of fireflies that Little John had snuck into the coach through the curtains and set it to rest on a small stand he'd created out of an old brass bowl. He couldn't help but find himself drawn to the mysteries of the supernatural realms. What could the stars and an orb with glowing spirits tell him about his destiny? He hoped it was nothing but good things.

Robin tried not to be too distracted. He'd noticed the large bag of gold that the Prince had been playing with earlier, and he immediately knew what his true target was. The only problem with his getting away with the plot was that it was right next to the same basket that Sir Hiss was trapped in! _Hmmm…this is going to be a tricky one…I wish I could find a way to let my new colleagues outside of the carriage know that I want one of them to get the bag of gold for me! Now, I just have to figure out how…_

Little John could hear Robin reciting all of the mumbo-jumbo he'd rehearsed for his Gypsy act. He'd pulled this trick off several times with other local stuffed shirts, and now it would be one of his greatest performances to take out Prince John! What a knockout!

However, John could tell Robin was trying to encode a set of directions in his fortunetelling. He could recognize information about a bag of gold that was hidden on the opposite side of the coach, and how he wanted someone to sneak over and grab it without anybody noticing…preferably one of their friends.

Dismounting the last of the four solid gold hubcaps on the carriage wheels, John snuck his way across the road without the guards seeing him. He came over to where he saw KazeRyu's head just slightly peeking around the trunk of a nearby tree and called the four warriors over. He hastily explained Robin's plans of how he wanted one of them to help him steal the gold.

Sora snorted and jerked his thumb in Naomé's direction. "Easy. Have Naomé do it."

"Me?" Naomé asked, puzzled. "Why me?"

"Because I said I wouldn't touch the stuff. You, Roxas, and the Wind Dragon can duke it out amongst yourselves. Besides, you admitted to being a thief earlier."

Naomé was beside herself with fury. "_So what?_"

"It takes a thief to know one. You admitted you were one, so I think it's only natural that you and Robin should work together. You two would make a perfect couple…the King and Queen of Thieves!"

The Second Keybearer growled like a raging wolf, fangs bared, ears laid flat back and eyes narrowed to slits behind golden fur. "You dirty little son of a-"

"Sora!" Roxas snapped, cutting Naomé off and reprimanding the Master of the Keyblade at the same time. "That's not fair! Leave Naomé alone! Just because she had to find a way to survive her past doesn't mean that she should be hung by it! So she had to steal for a while! Big deal! It's not something she's proud of, but you shouldn't judge her character with it!"

Sora bared his own fangs. "Oh, really? Well, if you think you can do any better, _Roxas_, then let's see _you_ do it! I _dare_ you to steal that gold from the carriage!"

Naomé glared angrily at Sora. _You're not doing yourself any favors, Keybearer! You'll be dead before you have the chance to Seal Sherwood Forest! And it won't be by the bad guys that will make your heart stop beating…it will be those you called your friends that will do it to you because you pissed them off! Gods, Sora! Is ticking people off and getting yourself into trouble the only things you're good at?_

Roxas turned Sora's aggressive expression right back at him, his markings making his face all the fiercer. "All right, then! Just for insulting Naomé, I'll take that bet and shove it up your 'tail'pipe! Just you sit tight and watch me prove why raccoons are good scavengers!"

"How do you know that?" Naomé asked softly.

"Raccoons used to live in the forest by the Old Mansion back in Twilight Town," Roxas replied as he trotted out towards the path. "I also raised one as a pet."

"You had a pet raccoon?" Sora said, jaw going slack. He turned his back on Roxas, scowled, and folded his arms across his chest. "I don't believe you."

Roxas stopped short for a moment, his toes just inches away from entering the sunlight. He looked back over his shoulder at Sora, an eerie crystal blue eye trained on the back of Sora's spiky-haired skull. "If I said I did, which I did, I did! I can't honestly tell you if Shadow's still alive or not, but if he is, chances are he'll be looking for me. Now, if you guys excuse me, I have a bet to win!"

Naomé was so furious with Sora's childish behavior that she hefted a handful of chestnuts she'd found lying around and flung them as hard as she could at Sora's back one at a time. She watched in grim satisfaction as she made him cringe in pain as the tiny spine-covered missiles struck him with the force of porcupine quills being fired at him.

Roxas weaved in and out of the shadows, taking care not to be seen by the guards. He held his breath as one turned its head ever so slightly, and then exhaled softly as the guard looked the other way. It was obvious to him that the rhinos weren't too keen on protecting things. Yeah, they were big and tough and mean and nasty and could hit you so hard you felt like you were being run over by a tank, but what they had in brawn they lacked in brains.

_This is almost too easy…_ Roxas thought as he suddenly made a mad dash across the road and dove under the carriage. By a clever stroke of divine luck, he'd managed to stir up very little dust, thus hiding himself all the faster. Then, when he was certain that he was safe from detection, he promptly tucked himself up underneath the body of the carriage and literally vanished from sight altogether. Patiently, he awaited the best moment to try stealing the purse.

Robin had caught a slight movement of the curtains from Roxas's dive. He cleverly hid his smile and continued weaving his falsehood fortunetelling, cleverly coming to the ultimate conclusion, the one that he knew would make Prince John totally oblivious to all around him.

"Your name will go down, down, down in history!"

Prince John leapt up in excitement. "Yes! I knew it! I knew it! Did you hear that, Hiss?" He suddenly recalled however, his serpentine servant was trapped in the basket beneath him, and his previous good mood vanished in the blink of an eye. "Oh, right…he's in the stupid basket…" Irritably, the Prince thwacked the side of the basket twice. "Don't you ever forget what the fortuneteller said! You should be honored to be the most trusted servant of the greatest Prince of Sherwood Forest in it's entire history!"

Sir Hiss silently glowered through the weaving of his wicker prison at his monarch but kept his tongue firmly inside of his clamped shut mouth. _All right, Your Majesty…let's see just how long it takes for you to figure out that you're being played for a fool! I won't have any say in it at all from this point forward! You're on your own!_

Roxas felt himself pale. There was somebody else in the carriage, and it sounded like they were in a basket nearby!_ Baskets are usually woven…from what I've seen of this World so far, I wouldn't be surprised if they did…which means, that this "Hiss" character is in the basket right by the bag of gold that I need to grab! Damn! How am I going to pull this one off?_

Cautiously, Roxas reached out and put his hand underneath the hem of the curtain, carefully snaking his clawed fingertips along the plush carpeting until he felt his hand touch a soft leather bag that felt like it had money in it. Grinning, he fought to grab it…

_SMACK!_

Something leathery and with a slightly rough texture had come from out of nowhere and struck the back of Roxas's hand like the crack of a whip. If Roxas strained his hearing, he thought he could hear a slight _hiss!_ of warning coming in his direction.

_Oh, great!_ Roxas thought angrily, gritting his fangs tightly behind his lips. _A snake! I have to deal with a freakin' snake! Of all the things I could've dealt with, why did it have to be a stupid _snake?_ Oh, well…I guess I'll have to find a way around that, too…why me?_

KazeRyu noticed Roxas's apprehension. "Something appears to be wrong with Roxas's routine," He remarked. "It seems there is something in that carriage that is preventing him from completing his task."

Little John groaned. "Sir Hiss!"

"Who?" Naomé asked, perplexed.

"Prince John's pet snake," Little John replied nastily. "He must be near the bag of gold that's right about where Roxas's hand is. Roxas probably just found out that Sir Hiss is watching that bag with those beady little yellow eyes of his."

"I hope he didn't get bit!" Naomé gasped.

"Hiss? Bite? Naw. That bugger likes to stick out his tongue and give you a good hiss and that's just about it. He's harmless as far as a lethal threat goes…he's more harmful when it comes to being a watchdog."

Naomé groaned. "Oh, _wonderful!_ That's just _great!_" She was about to turn away when her toe gently kicked the edge of a stone that'd been worn smooth by the passage of time. She immediately got an idea in her mind and, without telling a soul, skillfully rolled the rock so that it landed under the carriage.

Roxas heard the stone roll underneath him. Noting the direction from which it came, he looked out from underneath the bottom of the carriage and gave Naomé a perplexed look. _What in the name of Kingdom Hearts do you want me to do with this, Naomé?_

Naomé formed her left hand into that of a serpent's head and turned it towards her face. Pointing deliberately at the rock with her right pointer finger, she then took her right hand and curled it into a fist. Making sure that Roxas was watching her, Naomé brought her right fist down on the top of the "snake's head" twice, signifying that the rock was for bashing Sir Hiss's head in.

This brought a full-blown grin from Roxas, who showed all of his teeth and winked at Naomé in understanding of her idea. But then, he mouthed to Naomé the flaw in her otherwise brilliant plot, along with pantomiming for her benefit. _The snake's head is in a basket! I've got to deal with his tail! If I jam the tail with the rock, then it'll blow everything when the snake screams!_

His friend responded to him in the same silent conversation. _Then hit him twice like I said for you to do, Roxas! Just hit him once on the tail and once in the head! You'll be free and clear to go for the gold! Trust me!_

Robin Hood slowly stepped out of the carriage, wearing Prince John's soft velvety robe that was lined with a trim made of goose down feathers. He'd heard Sir Hiss's tail smack the back of Roxas's hand, and he knew things were getting desperate. The only thing he could think of was to try and vacate the carriage before things went from bad to worse. Slipping away and out of sight, he motioned to his friends that it was time to make a run for it.

Naomé confronted Robin. "You fool! What about Roxas?"

"He'll be fine," Robin replied. "There's nothing wrong." He turned to the path and hissed out a signal to Roxas. "Hey, Roxas! Let 'er rip, pal! Give Hiss something to hiss about!" Then, he turned back to Little John, Sora, Naomé and KazeRyu, giving them final instructions. "Be ready to run when Hiss screams!"

Little John cursed himself. He'd been too slow to tell Robin about the fact he'd stolen the hubcaps off of the carriage wheels! The axles were loose, and that mean the carriage would come crashing down on top of poor Roxas! If the guards didn't catch him during his escape, he'd be crushed! _Cures! Why do I always wait until the last minute to open my big mouth? Somebody could die this time! Will I ever learn?_

Unfortunately for Roxas, he hadn't seen Little John nick the hubcaps, so he was totally in the dark about his perilous predicament. Taking the rock in his hands, he determinedly put both hands into the carriage, halfway pulling himself into a possibly vulnerable position and reaching for the bag of gold. When he felt Hiss wrap his tail around his wrist, he promptly brought the smooth, flat rock into play, bashing it down full force onto the scaly appendage.

_KER-RUNCH!_

"_Yeow!_" Sir Hiss screeched, head popping out of the basket as fast as a lightning bolt would come shooting out of a thundercloud. His yowl and sensation of his pain was short–lived, however, when Roxas yanked him down by his "throat" and smashed the rock into his head, knocking him down for the count in one blow.

Roxas snagged the bag of gold but found himself unable to escape. The guards had come rushing to the curtains of the carriage, and he was now forced to take refuge in his hiding place. He cringed as he heard Prince John's voice suddenly yell in fury.

"Robbed! I've been robbed! Guards! Stop those women! After them! I want their heads on your spears, do you hear me! _Get them!_"

Heart pounding, Naomé skidded to a halt as her friends raced past her. Throwing herself into the cover of the nearby brush in a flash of golden-blonde fur, she struggled to get Roxas's attention. _If he can see me, then we can make an escape! I just don't trust what I'm seeing. Those axles…they aren't covered by hubcaps! Those are open-ended wheels! They aren't secured! If that carriage goes at any great amount of speed, it will collapse on itself! Roxas will be killed!_

Then, much to her horror, the carriage was suddenly lurched into a full-out charge down the road, wheels wobbling and axles clattering as they came loose. Horrified, Naomé leapt to her feet and began dashing towards the carriage, yowling at the top of her lungs to her friend.

"_Roxas! Get out of there! The carriage is gonna crash! You'll be crushed alive!_"

_Crushed alive?_

Naomé's words exploded in Roxas's mind like fireworks going off. Glancing at the axles in front of and behind him, he noticed with terrifyingly clear sight that his friend was warning him to save his life and escape, even if it meant sacrificing the gold he'd fought so hard to get his hands on. Tucking the bag of gold into his shirt, which he'd tucked into his pants, he prepared to roll out the opposite side of the carriage…

_KER-RASH! KER-RUNCH! KA-BOOM! KA-BAM!_

The axles gave way, the weight of the carriage too great for the weakened support beams to handle without being held in place by the hubcaps. The body of the carriage tottered on the wheels, and then lost its balance and was sent tumbling to the ground.

"_Roxas!_" Naomé screamed, blowing her cover and rushing out into the road as fast as she could possibly go. Taking a leap of faith, she dove into Roxas and took him sprawling and tumbling with her onto the opposite side of the road and into a ditch covered with massive overgrowth. Fox and raccoon finally came to rest beneath a tangle of thick brush, the live and dead foliage masking their location perfectly.

They were safe…and alive!

Prince John was furious to the point of throwing a mini temper-tantrum. Splashing about in the mud puddle he'd fallen into, he yowled like a baby and began throwing mud everywhere.

Sir Hiss extricated himself from the basket. "I _told you_ you'd be robbed!" He spat. "I told you, I told you, a thousand times I told you! But _no!_ You _never_ listen! You never, ever, _ever…_"

Suddenly, he gasped in shock. Prince John was looming over him with a mirror, poised to strike him down with it. "No, Sire! No! Breaking a mirror is seven years' bad-"

_KER-RASH!_

"-Luck," Sir Hiss groaned as the glass shards fell about him. "Sire, that didn't do any good. Besides, you just broke your mother's favorite mirror!"

The Prince gave another yowl. "_Mommy!_" He whined, sucking on his thumb. When he tasted mud, he pulled his finger back and pouted at it. "Mommy, I've got a dirty thumb…" He whimpered.

Sir Hiss fainted in despair. _Why me?_


	28. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The Village of Nottingham

_Sherwood Forest – Robin's Hideout_

Sora skidded to a halt, toes of his shoes just missing a small rise in the slab of rock that was used as a stepping-stone towards Robin's campsite. Panting and gasping for air to fill his aching and burning lungs, he banished the Keyblade from his hands and plopped himself down on a nearby log. "Phew! That was close! I was sure that we were gonna get busted!"

KazeRyu was breathing lightly, as though he hadn't taken a single widespread stride. "Knowing you, Sora, you would not have allowed that to happen." He gave the Keyblade Master a wry smirk. "Although, I _do_ have to admit that you are learning well how to trust others with your life instead of just yourself. You are learning the value of trust, Keybearer…very good."

Robin fanned himself with his hat, his Gypsy outfit cast aside to be washed in the river. "That was actually quite exciting," He remarked as he flung the brass hoop earrings into a piece of hardwood that he'd fashioned into a "bowl" for which to store various pieces of equipment for disguises. "In fact, I think things went even better since John and I had some help from our new friends."

Little John laughed. "Hey, Rob! Did you see what Roxas did when he hid under the carriage? That was right brilliant, I tell you! And the rock! Naomé had the best idea to hit Hiss with that rock! Oh, man! I wished that I'd thought of those things!"

"Sure," Robin replied, laughing good-naturedly. "The carriage would've bottomed out the next time it hit a bump in the road if you tried to pull that one off!"

Sora bit his tongue. Robin's joke was funny, but he didn't want to anger Little John. The joke was part teasing and part attack, a stab at Little John's greater size and weight. The joke was funny and not funny at the same time.

KazeRyu snorted softly at the playful gesture and shook his head. But then, suddenly, he noticed that there were two voices missing in the conversation. _Where are Roxas and Naomé? Did they not follow us back?_ Taking his focus back to the world around him, he scanned the nearby area, concern turning his calm nature into one of slight anxiety. _Things must have not gone well back at the road…I wonder what's happened to them?_

The celestial werewolf made his point to Sora. "Sora, my friend, it appears that two of our fellow warriors are missing in action. Roxas and Naomé are nowhere in sight. I can only guess that they are still by the roadside."

"_What?_" Sora yelped, leaping to his feet and looking wildly around. Groaning in despair at KazeRyu's obvious observation, he slammed his hands to the sides of his head and squinted his eyes shut. "No, no, no! They must've been unable to get away fast enough! The guards must've got 'em by now! Dammit!"

"I doubt that they did," Kaze replied. "Roxas and Naomé are just like you, Sora…they will not let themselves be captured so easily. Roxas would be especially tough, since his KeyStaff skills and his greater size and speed would be more than enough to keep the guards at bay."

"So? That wouldn't matter if they don't know where the camp is!"

"Very true, but their instincts would be their best guides. There are three things that I know they must be thinking of right now…get off the road, stay hidden, and find the next closest area to where there is some level of population to try and blend in with the locals so they are harder to spot. Robin Hood, do you have any idea where someplace like that would be?"

Robin knew without wasting a brain cell. "Yes, the village of Nottingham. If they just follow the road in the same direction the Prince's carriage was heading, then they should be there in the next few hours."

"The _Prince_ was going that way?" Sora yelled. "Robin, _he's_ the one you guys stole from!"

"Yes, but he probably didn't see Roxas and Naomé as they made their getaway from the carriage. They might've been lucky enough to have the element of distraction on their side. Of course, they'll still have to be careful…on the other side of town is the summer home of the Royal Family. The Prince will still be a threat."

"I hope not," Sora replied worriedly. "I'd hate to see them imprisoned."

"Me too," KazeRyu said solemnly.

_Sherwood Forest – Road to Nottingham_

Roxas lay stunned in the brush on the wayside of the road, Naomé several feet away and barely visible. _That was close! Why, if Naomé hadn't…I don't even wanna think about that!_ He slowly wriggled, gritting his teeth as he felt several of his bones snap and crackle back into place. He felt the heavy purse of gold he'd stolen whack into his side from inside of his shirt with a heavy _thud!_ He carefully rolled over onto his side and caught gazes with Naomé, who was doing the same thing. "Hello, Naomé."

"Hi, Roxas," Naomé replied. "Are you all right?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Roxas said, slowly rising to his feet. He extended his hand to her. "Here. Up you get. I don't hear the carriage anymore, so I guess we're safe."

Naomé took the proffered hand and gratefully let Roxas pull her to her feet. However, his grasp also yanked her right into a tight embrace. "What the…? Roxas! What are you-"

"_Shhh_…I thought I heard something…" Roxas whispered. He pulled her with him so that they were hidden behind a large oak tree and brought her even closer to him. "Just be quiet for a few minutes," He instructed her. "I'll keep an eye out."

"Okay," Naomé answered, actually finding herself snuggling in as close as she could, as though trying to bury herself in his clothing. _For some reason, I'm finding myself not minding him holding me like this…in fact, I'm kind of liking it…what's wrong with me?_

_This is kind of weird,_ Roxas thought. _I've never had a girl get this close to me in a very long time…despite what's going on right now, I'm enjoying the feeling of protecting someone, of holding them so close that I don't ever want to let them go. The last person I ever felt this way with was Naminé…what would she say if she could see me right now? Would she be angry with me because I'm holding another woman? I don't know…I wouldn't blame her if she were, though…_

The 'something' that Roxas had heard was nothing more than a bird flitting its way through the trees, obviously trying to catch some juicy bug for a snack. Noticing that the bird had flown away without disturbing them, Roxas found himself reluctantly relinquishing his grip on Naomé.

"Thanks for thinking of protecting me," Naomé said gratefully, readjusting her jacket and giving Roxas a nervous smile. "I never knew a lot of people that would do that for me."

"You're welcome," Roxas replied. He glanced around and noticed no sign of their companions. "Uh-oh…looks like we've been separated from the others, Naomé. I guess we're on our own out in the middle of Sherwood Forest."

Naomé groaned. "Great. _Now_ what are we gonna do?"

Roxas gave Naomé's shoulder a reassuring pat. "Now, now, Naomé, don't get all frazzled out. Robin said the road we're on goes directly to the village of Nottingham. I'm guessing that if we follow it, we'll be able to head there and probably find someone that could help us locate Robin's place. I bet Sora and KazeRyu are waiting there for us."

"Well, I guess that's the best option we've got right now," The Second Keybearer sighed. "Truth be told, I _really_ don't feel like getting lost in this place and find myself having to run for safety every time I think someone's following me with the intent of collecting a bounty that's been placed on my head."

"A bounty? Why would you say that?"

"Have you forgotten what we just did, Roxas? We just stole from the Prince of England! We'll hang for what we've just done, you fool! Now, things must've gotten pretty bad for the people around here for them to have to be forced to steal to survive, so that means there's going to be a _major_ crackdown on laws being enforced to their fullest extent! If we manage to escape prosecution, it'll be because we're damned lucky!"

Roxas knew that Naomé was right. Things _had_ to be _really_ bad around Sherwood Forest for an entire population to start stealing. He wondered, though, exactly what it was that brought them here. Sora had always told him the Keybearer was brought to the World not just with the intent on Sealing the Keyhole, but often to help in other ways. _I guess we're here to help the people of Sherwood Forest not have to steal from their own government anymore…I've always wanted to help out people in a situation worse off than mine for as long as I can remember…I guess it's one of those things my mother used to call a "hero complex"…she said my father and I were exactly alike in that sense…we were always looking for people to save…just like a hero…_

Naomé noticed that Roxas had gone silent. "Roxas? Roxas, are you all right?"

"Huh?" Roxas said, coming back into reality. He ran a taloned hand through his scruffy fur and over his face, as though he was trying to wash away his thoughts instead of drying tears that'd sprung unbidden into his eyes at the thoughts of his parents once again. "Oh…yeah, Naomé. I'm all right. I was just thinking about the fact that I just experienced firsthand what the people around here are. It makes me feel kind of weird."

"Weird?" Naomé echoed.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Well, I was always told firsthand experience was the best way to understand a person's plight. If we just had to deal with the despair the citizens of Sherwood Forest do every day, then it's obvious we're here to help them not live that way any longer."

This brought a puzzled look to Naomé's face. "Oh, so you mean that you and I should help the people of Nottingham while Sora tries to find the Keyhole?"

"Yeah! That way, things will move a lot more smoothly! Sora can focus on one half of the picture, and you and I can take the other half. Besides, I've actually gotten pretty good at this whole 'robbing the rich to feed the poor' kind of thing. I know that it's wrong both morally and legally, but I also realize that I might not have any choice if I am to survive long enough to help anybody, let alone myself."

Naomé understood perfectly. "Now you're seeing things the way I had to once. I guess that's why you and I should be better together alone than with Sora…he just didn't see things eye-to-eye with us. We understand things around here, he doesn't. He didn't ever have to worry about living with what we did, so he'll never know where we're coming from." She held her arm out for Roxas to take a hold of, a teasing grin on her face. "Enough is enough. Let's not dwell on the past. Shall we?"

Roxas bowed to his friend in a courtly manner and took the proffered arm with a sense of great solemnity. He chuckled softly as he intertwined Naomé's arm around his own, linking them two of them together as though escorting Naomé into a grand ballroom instead of down a dusty road. He tipped Naomé a broad wink. "We shall! Off to Nottingham!"

Both Second Keybearer and Master of the KeyStaff walked merrily down the road, laughing joyously to the early summer sky above them, their worries of being arrested vanishing into thin air as they made their way to Nottingham Village and their next adventure.

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Square_

The village of Nottingham was a quaint, quiet little town, extremely different in comparison to the provincial town of Sophia Rosé back in Beast's Castle. Also, unlike the structures made of advanced architecture with slate and clay roofing tiles and built with brick, most everything in Nottingham was created from roughly hewn stones, hand-planed planks that were aging in the constant elements, and roofs made of thatched straw and reeds or tiles made from wood with the bark still attached. Nottingham was certainly a very quiet and very poor village.

Naomé felt sorry as she looked about the poverty-stricken parish. _These people have it even worse than I thought I did back on the Key Islands! At least I had a roof that was virtually guaranteed not to leak and a home that wouldn't topple over in the wind! Everything here is in dire need of fixing up…they just don't have the money to do it…I wish the money we'd stolen from Prince John was enough, but I can already tell that it never will be…these poor people…they desperately need our help…_

Roxas must've picked up on Naomé's thoughts. "This place looks like a ghost town…I wonder where everyone is?"

"Probably forced to have to stay in their houses until necessity drives them out," Naomé replied. "This is horrible…nobody should have to live like this. I bet there's a lot of children here that wish that they could come out and play and not have to worry about how hungry their stomachs will be and how empty they'll stay because there isn't any food waiting for them. Oh, Roxas…I wish there was some way to help them…"

"There is," Roxas growled. "Get rid of Prince John."

"Watch yourself!" Naomé warned. "Speaking out against the Prince could get you in some serious trouble! If you got arrested and they found the gold on you, you'd be dead before you could even think up an explanation for having it!"

Roxas bit down on his tongue. He'd forgotten how medieval laws worked…speak against the Royal Family, and it was curtains for you. He decided right then and there he needed to be more careful about that one little detail…he didn't want Sora to lose him. His help was already severely limited to the point to where he was almost crippled by it.

The two friends walked the empty streets, searching for (hopefully) Robin's place or someone that might know where they could find it. There was no such luck…it seemed that everyone was almost under house arrest.

Naomé suddenly noticed that the road they were taking was leading out the outskirts of the village. If she looked hard enough, she thought that she saw a country church sitting by the wayside. She pointed it out to Roxas, who immediately agreed with her thinking of seeing if the Father Abbot or Mother Abbess was in and if they could help them out. They immediately set out for the little church in the distance, eyes ever wary for the Prince's guards.

_Sherwood Forest – Robin's Hideout_

Sora was still worried about Roxas and Naomé, but he didn't have the time to think about it. He'd been instead grilling Robin about everything happening in Sherwood Forest for the last several hours.

What was causing the people to have to rely on stealing?

Who was Prince John?

Did the Prince have any relatives?

Was there anyone else they should be concerned about besides the Prince?

Did Robin have any staunch allies they could rely on besides Little John?

Robin answered the questions quite well. The people of Sherwood Forest, the village of Nottingham in particular, had to resort to stealing due to the face that a high tax rate was set for the area, virtually draining even the richest of people in town down to the point of peasantry and thievery.

As for Prince John, the lion was the younger brother to King Richard, and was currently serving as the King's deputy while the rightful sovereign was in the middle of the Crusades. Supposedly, the King was on his way home, but there was no other word of it in the past several months. Robin told Sora that he suspected foul play on the Prince's part for King Richard's disappearance and delayed return.

There was another enemy they would have to worry about…the wily, wolfish Sherriff of Nottingham and his gang of wolf deputies and vulture captains, Trigger and Nutsy. This cruel, cold-hearted creature was a close ally of Prince John's, as well as very similar in icy temperament to the Prince. Of course, the Sherriff wasn't such a big baby, but he _was_ a big bully, and that was ten times as bad.

In response to other allies, Robin told him of one specifically…a badger that lived over in the Church of Divine Providence on the outskirts of Nottingham Village. Known as Friar Tuck, this member of the church was the pinnacle of the remaining citizens of Nottingham, the one who helped them try and live their daily lives through the usage of faith and prayer for deliverance from their plight. Many of the citizens, in fact, called Robin their hero, as his robbing from the extravagantly wealthy and handing over the proceeds to help them survive was considered the noblest act of charity. This was brought on by Tuck's caring heart and his deep respect for the fox outlaw.

Sora mulled the information over as he sat by the lakeside, staring pensively at the Sun's reflection of its pale golden noon light on the water's glassy surface. He now knew his other purpose for being in that particular World, as well as whom he had to be careful of. Of course, the only thing that was left weighing heavily on his mind was the fates of Roxas and Naomé. Were they alive or dead? If they were alive, were they free or imprisoned? If they were dead, where could he find their bodies so he could lay his friends to rest and then vow to avenge them?

He heard Little John call him in for supper. Sighing heavily, the Master of the Keyblade rose from the ground and headed back in towards the middle of the camp. He was just going to have to trust Fate to protect his friends. He was unable to help them at this point…they were forced to be on their own for now. But, he vowed that he would find them…one way or another!

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence - Infirmary_

Roxas collapsed on the battered straw mattress that Friar Tuck had provided for him, utterly exhausted from his big day. The kindly badger, upon hearing his and Naomé's tale, had given them room in board in the Infirmary, doing his best to help them. As for the gold, he bade the lanky raccoon to keep it close to the vest and out of sight. It could be used later on.

Naomé was laying on another bed close to Roxas's, her thoughts finally able to come to their own peaceful rest. She'd buried herself beneath the thin sheets that the Friar had set aside, and had plopped her head gratefully into the soft pillow. Sighing with content, she started to fall asleep…

"Naomé?"

The Second Keybearer blinked out of her drowsiness. "Huh?" She looked up to see that Roxas was lying on his side and staring at her, his eerie crystal blue eyes boring into her. She yawned. "What is it, Roxas? Is everything all right?"

"Well…sort of. Naomé, can you tell me what was it like for you?"

"What? Tell you what was what like for me? I don't understand you."

"You know…having to get by on what you had and then stealing if you had to? How did it feel to be one step away from being called a beggar? Was it really bad?"

Naomé felt her painful childhood memories start to resurface. "Well, like I said earlier, I wasn't proud of it. Stealing was the last thing I thought I'd ever do, but I also knew that it might be necessary for my mother and I to survive together. We were all we had for each other, her and I. There was no one else to support us. After my father died, we really didn't have a lot of income to live by. We had to save whenever we could, and that wasn't too often. Sometimes, we had to eat bread with butter or peanut butter on it and drink milk or water to get by. Things were rough for us for a while, but we survived. It was all we could do, really."

Roxas felt awful. He could hear the pain and anger in Naomé's voice, the same anger and pain he'd often heard in his own in his youth. He smiled sympathetically at his friend. "I know what you mean, Naomé. I didn't have to resort to stealing to survive, but I did have it pretty rough growing up. I told you back in Twilight Town that I was always picked on because of all the things I was really good at. Sometimes I wondered if I was being picked on just because I even existed."

"I know how _that_ feels."

"Yeah. Well, sometimes I felt I'd have to resort to desperate measures to try and get people to leave me alone. I tried getting back at them, but it only made it worse."

Naomé smirked and chuckled darkly. "Yeah. It always does that. It sucks."

Roxas grunted his agreement. "So then, when that didn't work, I tried to become more physical about it. After all, I was always knocked to the ground and beaten up and left to pick myself up and drag myself home. Of course, I had a few major victories, but none of them were decisive enough to end the whole thing and let me live my life in peace. As I got older, it got even worse. I thought I'd had it bad, but once being a teenager hit, watch out! Things went from worse to _horrible._"

"I bet. That happened with me, too. Once teen years kicked in, things got _really_ bad for me. I guess more of my half-breed heritage came out, because the taunting became more frequent and lasted for longer periods of time. I, too, became more physical, but my enemies adapted and tortured me on campus, where I couldn't fight back without getting suspended or expelled. And then, when I was well off of school grounds and certain that I could beat them to a bunch of mangy pulps without getting punished for it, they'd vanish from my sight and as far away as they could in the shortest amount of time possible. They weren't afraid of what I was going to do to them, but they just plain weren't scared of me. I couldn't win no matter _what_ I did!"

"Yeah. They did that to me also. I just gave up after a while and decided not to let it bother me anymore. They were just immature and didn't know how to handle the fact that I was good at things that they weren't and that they didn't know how or were too lazy to try. It was after that I realized that ignorance was the greatest power I could have, and it was because it took all their power away from them and gave it to me."

"Hmph. I wish _we_ could take away Prince John's power and give it to his people," Naomé retorted. "It would be nice to overthrow the childish bastard and let his people decide what they want to do with their money. After all, they earned it, so why shouldn't they be the ones to decided how to spend it?"

It was Roxas's turn to warn Naomé. "Careful, Naomé. Give the people too much power, and the entire kingdom will fall. If rules and boundaries aren't set, things will go totally wrong. My teacher in my World Governments and Their Economies class back in high school did something like that. She basically allowed the classes from each period to become the citizens of a World that'd just overthrown their government."

"Did the teacher give reasons?"

"Yeah." Roxas smirked. "In fact, it was a bit of an irony. My class had overthrown a government that was corrupt. A ridiculous tax rate, no set denomination for the monetary system, and most importantly, there wasn't any power to the people whatsoever. It was insane! So, we overthrew our government and decided to start from scratch. We learned, however, that things got out of hand without a stable government to support our ideas. We ended up being worse off than we were before the government was overthrown! We didn't have a government, we had anarchy!"

"Sounds like you guys had some problems. What did you do to solve it?"

"We realized that we couldn't exist without laws and regulations to regulate the key necessities that made our lives livable. A new tax rate was set, we created a stable education system and a steady stream of employment opportunities, even managed to virtually eliminate any signs of a poverty level! Further, any propositions of changes in the laws that helped balance the community required a two-thirds majority vote of the number of the population that was of voting age, which, in Twilight Town, and our new government, was sixteen."

"Sixteen?" Naomé said in shock. "Get out! On the Key Islands, you had to be _nineteen!_ Dang! I wish _I_ lived in Twilight Town! Things sound _so_ much better there than the Key Islands! Twilight Town is a _paradise_ in comparison to my old home!"

Roxas smiled. "Now, here's the good part: the government my class had overthrown was a mock-up version of our own right there! We basically got to take over Twilight Town and rework it from the bottom up!"

"Sounds like fun. Did you guys learn anything valuable?"

"Yes, we did. We realized just how important it was for people to have their say and that the government shouldn't have all the power, but if too much power is given to the people instead of a balanced system, then things become anarchic and more problems are created rather than solved."

Naomé flinched as the transformed Master of the KeyStaff eyed her with a stern yet calm gaze. "That's why I'm saying be careful here, Naomé. Yes, we should take away Prince John's power, but remember that means everyone in Sherwood Forest would have to start over. The entire structure of the World and its economy would change, and that could take many years to accomplish. In the meantime, people might suffer unnecessarily because of it."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

"That things need to be in place _before_ Prince John is eliminated."

The Second Keybearer smiled at the wisdom in Roxas's words. _That makes absolutely perfect sense…prepare for the change beforehand, and then the change won't be such a big one and so daunting a task when the time comes for the change to happen. Sounds to me like Roxas really paid attention in that class…if I didn't know any better, I would think that he was planning on taking a position in Twilight Town's government. He'd make a very good public relations officer, maybe even a great leader. I wonder…what _could_ he do with his knowledge were he given the chance?_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Royal Castle – Prince John's Chambers_

Prince John was in a bad mood.

After the fiasco out on the road outside Nottingham Village with Robin Hood and his friends, the young Prince crowned as his brother's "temporary replacement" found himself ill at ease. He knew from the Sherriff of Nottingham (who he'd just had an interview with) who it was that he'd just dealt with: the notorious Robin Hood and an unknown band of bandits that worked with him!

The idea of meeting Robin Hood and being "hood"winked by him was enough to fuel the irate Prince's already hot blood to its boiling point, making his fangs grind together audibly in his jaw. He clawed at the slight bit of mane that he was starting to grow, frowning in a perfect imitation of his elder brother Richard's solemn gaze. However, on the Prince's childish features, the severity of the gaze was lost in his youthful face, making him look comical rather than kingly. In comparison to King Richard, Price John was still a long way away from ever ruling a kingdom of his own, as well as having the distinguished air that his brother had.

Sir Hiss was on one of the bedposts on Prince John's bed, unfortunately placed (or, to be more correct, _tied_) there for mentioning the name of "Robin Hood. He kept his scaly mouth firmly shut, except when it was necessary for him to occasionally dart his tongue out to test the air. He'd been unable to say anything for quite a while, and what was worse was that he was beginning to get _very _thirsty. He wondered just how much longer it would be before he'd be freed.

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Sherriff's Office_

The wily, wolfish Sherriff of Nottingham had disliked his audience with the Prince of Sherwood Forest. Prince John was known for his childish temper tantrums, moody moments and downright cruelty that was influenced by the immaturity of his youth, and it made things all the more difficult.

The Sherriff had dreaded one part of the interview in particular: having to reveal the fact that the outlaw Robin Hood had duped the Prince on his way there. This little detail had sent Prince John into an irate outburst to the point her was quite literally rearranging his room by throwing things about. The Sherriff had been so terrified of his young ruler that he'd been forced to beat a hasty retreat for fear of being skinned alive.

_Robin Hood's going to drive me insane one of these days,_ The Sherriff thought irritably as one of his guards brought in that day's tax collection and a thick ledger. Nodding his thanks to the guard, the Sherriff of Nottingham took the book and laid it open on his roughly hewn desk. Taking up a quill in one hand and a bag of gold in the other, he began to calm his nerves by counting his money. True, he had to report his earnings to the Prince on a regular basis, along with transporting the taxes gathered to the palace to be reported into the royal treasury, but he got a pretty heavy bonus for the amount he collected. Being the Sherriff and the enforcer of a high tax rate had its advantages…

_Heck, maybe I'll be able to retire early…that would be nice…_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence - Infirmary_

Naomé was unable to sleep. Her mind was so tangled up around itself from the events earlier that afternoon that she was surprised that she didn't have a headache from its incessant spinning about in her skull.

Glancing over, she noticed that Roxas was snoring lightly, the bag of gold tucked beneath a corner of his mattress. Sighing heavily, she wished she could sleep as soundly as her friend was…of course, she could tell by the expression of anxiety on his face that he was probably dreaming of some tragic event in his life. She knew how he felt…she still dreamed of her father, and he'd died over fourteen years ago.

Her thoughts drifted to Sora and KazeRyu. Had they been caught with Robin and Little John out in Sherwood Forest while her and Roxas had made their escape? Were they out in the Forest somewhere, watching for them to come back? Were they worried about them as much as she knew that she and Roxas were worried about them?

Another thought suddenly popped into her head. _The gold_. What were they going to do with the gold that they'd stolen? They couldn't hide it forever, and they both knew just how badly the people of Nottingham needed it. But, the problem was that they didn't have anywhere _near_ enough to even _begin_ to help the impoverished citizens try to get their lives back on track. A coin apiece wouldn't do much good considering the state they were in. It could maybe buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk if they were lucky.

Naomé found her mind reeling back to her past, back when she'd been forced to resort to stealing to survive. She recalled the feeling of a guilty conscience whenever she'd done that disgraceful act in the name of saving her life. And her mother…she always felt terrible when she thought about her mother. She always wondered if her mother had ever in her wildest dreams imagined she would become the mother to a thief. Could she ever forgive her daughter for her "crimes?" Naomé had often hoped she wouldn't, that she'd call the police on her daughter and have her taken away, that she would take the advantage of losing her to be able to escape the Key Islands and return home. But, Mrs. Windom never did, always overlooking her daughter's deeds and loving her all the more for her strong will and determined nature. There was nothing that Naomé could do to make her mother hate her.

Tears slowly streaked down Naomé's golden-blonde-furred cheeks as she stared up at the roof of the church, vision blurred by the salty sweet drops as she felt her heart breaking in her chest. Finally exhausted, she drifted off to sleep, her memories of that day melting away into the land of dreams.


	29. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

A Day at the Fair

_Sherwood Forest – Robin's Hideout_

Sora yawned and stretched his body to wake himself up. He'd actually received a solid sleep in spite of his worry for his friends Naomé and Roxas, and he was certain that since Robin hadn't heard any news from his friends in Nottingham about a golden-blonde fox and a golden-brown-blonde-and-white raccoon being captured with a bag of stolen gold in their possession that that meant they were safe…for now. He knew Roxas was pretty good at keeping himself out of trouble, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't do some exploring on his own. He had to be careful, though…talk to the wrong people, and he could wind up being in a hangman's noose.

Suddenly, he thought he heard noise. Glancing down from the tree he'd tucked himself up into, he saw an elderly badger dressed in a simple homespun woody brown robe with a pale khaki cord tied about his rotund middle. _Hmmm…a member of a nearby congregation…a monk, perhaps…it seems that Robin knows him pretty well, though…maybe he heard something about Roxas and Naomé…I'd better go check._

Robin hailed Sora as he approached. "Sora! There you are, my friend! I'd like you to meet my good friend, Friar Tuck. He is the head of the Church of Divine Providence on the outskirts of Nottingham. Friar, this is my friend Sora, a visitor to these parts."

Friar Tuck, despite his imposing figure, was quiet and friendly. He gave Sora a warm smile and a polite greeting. "Good day to you, Sora."

Sora couldn't help but feel calm and comfortable in the friar's presence. He smiled and nodded courteously in the monk's direction. "And a good day to you, Friar."

Nodding back in acknowledgment of Sora's good manners, Friar Tuck turned back to Robin. "There has been news spreading like wildfire throughout Nottingham since mid-afternoon yesterday," He said. "The Prince is holding a carnival, and it shall conclude with an archery tournament!"

"An _archery_ tournament?" Robin said, obviously intrigued.

"What's so great about that?" Sora asked.

Little John explained. "Robin is the best shot in these parts. Nobody can top him!"

_I bet Naomé could if she could get a hold of his skills with her emulation powers,_ Sora sniggered to himself. _I bet that Robin would crap a cobblestone when he saw Naomé land a perfect bull's-eye right alongside his own! I'd love to be a spectator at _that_ showdown!_

But Friar Tuck wasn't finished yet. "Yes, Robin, an archery tournament." He motioned towards a pot that Robin had been cooking breakfast in. "Do you mind if I have a bite?"

Robin smiled and waved the friar on with a casual flick of his hand. "Go on, old friend. Help yourself! Just leave some for us!"

The portly friar made his way over to the pot. Muttering a silent blessing over the boiling contents, he picked up a spoon and took a small amount into it. Blowing gently on it, he then proceeded to stick the spoon into his mouth. He gave Robin a smile and a wink. "Excellent, Robin. You're cooking is as good as ever."

The coppery-red fox seemed to be bursting with impatience. "All right, all right! Thank you for the compliments! They're appreciated as usual! Now, you've had your breakfast, you senile hermit, so tell me more about this tournament that's taking place today!"

Friar Tuck smirked. "Very well, Robin. As you so wish."

"Thank you! Now, what's going on?"

"As I said, the carnival is taking place today, and the archery tournament will be the main attraction in the middle of the day. It will be held in the middle of the fairgrounds with the Prince presiding over it. Everybody who's anybody is going to be there, and I've heard that there are going to be at least a good twenty or thirty archers or so lined up for the event."

Robin scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm…hmmm…twenty or thirty archers or so, you said? Hmmm…that's a good number." "Yes, exactly my point. Anyway, I've heard the lovely Maid Marion is going to be there!"

"_Maid Marion?_" Robin yelped, his voice going shrill and cracking out. "Why didn't you say something sooner, Tuck? Besides, what is Marion going to be doing in the middle of a circus like that? It must be for a good reason, I wager?"

The grin the friar had was wicked as far as members of the church went. He chuckled teasingly. "I heard that a beautifully crafted golden arrow and a kiss from Marion herself are going to the winner of today's archery tournament."

Robin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as his voice petered out again. "A kiss for the winner?" A great grin split his features and he went into a swirling set of cartwheels. "Oo-de-lally, Johnny! A kiss from Maid Marion is like Heaven on Earth! It's been decided…I absolutely _have_ to go! What in the name of good King Richard are waiting for? Let's get over there! We should've been there an hour ago!"

"Hold it, Rob, hold it!" Little John said, calling for a timeout. "That place is gonna be _crawling_ with soldiers! I'd be surprised that there'll be any room for anybody to get in there and enjoy him or herself at all! To even _attempt_ to enter the archery tournament is downright suicidal, and you know it! Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if that rotten old Sherriff went and told the Prince that you wouldn't pass up an opportunity like this, and not to mention that the both of them are still raw from what you pulled on them yesterday! You're absolutely _crazy_ to try to pull off a stunt like the one you're talking about!"

"Crazy, but lovesick," Sora remarked. "Robin, you're love this Maid Marion, don't you?"

"Mind, body, heart and soul!" Robin replied, striking a pose with his bow and quiver on a rock. "I would do anything for my Marion! I would travel all of Kingdom Hearts for even a look from her! But, for a _kiss?_ Why, I would carry the World on my shoulders for all eternity to have a shot at something like that! I'd be crazy not to! Beside, you know what they always say…'faint heart never won fair lady'!"

Little John groaned and covered his eyes in despair. _This is insane…Robin can be _such_ a _lunatic_ sometimes…! How is it that I can stand being around him at all? I must be as off of my rocker as he is and then some! Oh, brother…what is Robin going to get himself into now?_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence – Church Gardens_

Friar Tuck was gone when Roxas and Naomé woke up, leaving the church grounds all to themselves. Roxas had surprised Naomé with the fact that he actually had some minor cooking skills, taking a few things he'd found in the pantry and cooking them up into a rather interesting meal of oatmeal mixed with dried wild strawberries, raspberries and blueberries and warm milk to top it off. Naomé, in turn, had discovered the gardens that the Friar used to keep his pantry full and that they were in need of some fixing up, and she had Roxas help her tend to the plants, clearing the rows of weeds and watering and pruning the shabby vegetation into a proper patch.

It was during their tending of the gardens that the Sherriff of Nottingham appeared with a few of his posse at his back. He had a slightly jaunty swagger to his step as he approached the church, beady yellow eyes nearly hidden by his sarcastic grin. He'd visited the church the day before and had committed the disgraceful act of checking the "poor box" to see if there were any "donations" for "poor Prince John." There hadn't been anything, so he was going to try again until he got something. He considered it to be one of his proudest moments when he was able to say that he'd managed to prove that even the church had to pay taxes.

Roxas stopped hoeing the carrots and suspiciously eyed the wolf as he approached from out of the corner of his eye. He glanced over at Naomé and caught her attention with a low whisper. "_Psst!_ Naomé! Take a look at what's coming our way, why don't you! Pretty scruffy-lookin' ragtag bunch, aren't they?"

"Hm?" Naomé asked in confusion as she glanced up from over the raspberry canes to see the Sherriff making the final hundred yards or so towards their direction. "Aha. I see them, Roxas. Better be careful of them. By the looks of them, I'd be willing to say that they're in no mood for delays. I have reason to believe that they spell trouble with a capital 't'!"

"My point exactly," Roxas replied out of the corner of his mouth. "Stay here, Naomé. I don't want somebody coming in here and messing things up. It would be most impolite of us to not help Friar Tuck out when he has so graciously allowed us a place to stay until things in Nottingham and Sherwood Forest settle down a bit. I'll handle this."

Naomé watched as Roxas set the hoe against the side of the wooden fence as he went to meet the Sherriff halfway. Cautiously, she snaked and wriggled and wormed her way among the garden plants on her belly like a snake, carefully picking her way through the gardens until she came up to the fence so she could get a good view of what was about to transpire.

The Sherriff was in shock when the lanky golden-brown-blonde-and-white raccoon dressed in strange clothing came walking up the path from out of the gardens to meet him instead of the homely old Friar Tuck. He immediately felt unnerved…the carriage of this strange creature that he'd never seen before was almost unnatural, and his eerie crystal blue eyes bored straight into him like a sword would pierce flesh. The raccoon carried himself with a slightly stiff gait; his pace remained a steady beat and never sped up or slowed down as he finally came before him and deliberately stood in his path.

"Stand aside, peasant!" The Sherriff commanded, trying not to be intimidated.

Roxas's stature in comparison to the Sherriff's was remarkably impressive: he stood at least head and shoulders over the sly wolf, forcing the Sherriff to have to look up at him to make eye contact and exhibit authority. When he spoke, he was eerily calm and spoke with a quiet resolve and authority of his own. "I don't think so, sir. Not until you tell me why you are here."

"I am here on official business!" The Sherriff sneered.

"I am sure that you are," Roxas replied, his voice still composed. "However, until I know what exactly is your business here, I will not allow you to pass onto church grounds."

The Sherriff was getting irritated…a dangerous state for anyone to have to deal with. Many had dealt with this level of his emotions, and few lived to tell the tale of surviving it. Most people were imprisoned and left to rot before they even had a chance. "Look, you! I don't know who you are or who you think you are, but you're not going to scare me! Now, out of my way, before I forcefully remove you and have you arrested for treason!"

_So, this is the Sherriff of Nottingham,_ Roxas mused. _Only a sheriff could issue an arrest warrant and have it carried out. I guess he must be here to try and rob the church of any and all the money in the collection plates…well, not on my watch!_ He firmly held his ground and stared unflinchingly back at the Sherriff. "Ah, so you must be the Sherriff around here…Friar Tuck told me about you."

"Yeah, well he sure didn't mention you! Who are you, anyway?"

"I do not owe you an explanation, but I will be kind enough to give you one anyway. My name is Roxas Avalon. I am a good friend of the Friar's, and am just passing through on my way to another part of Kingdom Hearts."

The Sherriff grinned nastily. "Oh-ho! A good friend of the Friar's, are we?" He cackled and turned to his cronies. "Did you hear that, boys? We're dealing with a friend of the Friar's! We should be careful, boys! Things could get nasty! He'll probably throw holy water on us and chant some strange mumbo-jumbo to try and convert us!"

The posse sniggered noisily as they began to advance on Roxas. Their shock was great, however, when Roxas Summoned his KeyStaff from seemingly out of nowhere and effectively blocked them off. He glowered at them, his voice hardly changing in tone and pitch. "That wasn't funny. Besides, I told you I am not letting you on the premises until you tell me what your business is here. Now, I won't say it again. Tell me straight, or you'll be heading back into the village with more bruises than you can wag your tails at."

This did little to irk the Sherriff, who immediately tried to us his greater bulk to push his way through. But, despite his lanky and apparently weak frame, Roxas's body was hardened from years of training with the KeyStaff, and he promptly caught the Sherriff off guard with the Oblivion Keyblade end of his weapon in his midsection, then neatly tripping him and making him fall face first in the dirt with a sweep from Oathkeeper. In a single fluid motion, Roxas hoisted the Sherriff off of the ground, spun him around and caught him in a chokehold with the KeyStaff braced across his body from left shoulder to right ankle.

The calm countenance that Roxas had had during the conversation was now forgotten as he snarled menacingly into the wily wolf's ear. "I told you that you were not going to get onto the church grounds without my permission. You, sir, have tried my patience long enough. I am through speaking with you. I want you to leave here immediately!"

"You have no right to say that," The Sherriff said. "The Friar is the one who has the final say on who stays and who goes!"

"True, but the Friar is not here at the moment," Roxas replied coldly, his voice a hiss through clenched fangs. "He has left me in charge of everything while he is not here, and that includes who comes in here. Now, I want you gone from here! _Now!_"

Roxas released his hold on the Sherriff, allowing him to take command of his posse and head back towards Nottingham Village. He yelled back to Roxas his business over his shoulder. "It is none of your business, Roxas, but I was coming to inquire about the church's paying their taxes! The payment is overdue!"

"I know nothing of the church's finances," Roxas called back. "You will have to take that up with Friar Tuck. However, I will pass on the message to him. Good day to you, sir!"

The Sherriff growled threateningly under his breath as he took the path back to the village. Suddenly, he heard Roxas call him. When he turned around, his badge flew at him through the air like hot summer lightning, striking him square between the eyes and sending him crashing backwards into the dust again.

Roxas granted the Sherriff a parting word. "You forgot to take your good luck charm with you, Sherriff. Oh, by the way, you might want to think about changing into another uniform when you get back into town. That one looks a little _dirty._ We wouldn't want to look too much like the common muck that we trod over, now would we? Heaven forbid! _That_ would _never_ do!"

Back in the garden, Naomé was trying not to laugh so hard that she was literally crying and shaking as though she were in grief. Instead, she was in virtually silent agony, one hand clamped over her mouth and the other covering her eyes in mirthful despair. She was curled up into a ball in the middle of the strawberry and blueberry bushes, snuffling and sniggering into her jacket as she heard Roxas's final good-byes.

Back out on the path, Roxas was quite proud of himself. He'd just managed to stand up to someone all by himself and then to proceed to drive them off without using (almost) any of his KeyStaff or magic skills! _Naminé was right all those years ago…the power of words _does_ do more than the power of a weapon!_

However, he suddenly heard Naomé's fitful hysterics in the garden. Thinking something was wrong with the Second Keybearer, he trotted back to the garden, calling out in concern for his friend. "Naomé? Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?"

The sight that greeted him when he came into the strawberry and blueberry bushes confounded him. Naomé was laying flat out on her back, now rolling around and dying with the laughter that she'd fought so hard to keep cooped up inside of her, tears streaming down her face. She was gasping for breath and holding her ribcage with a white-knuckled grip as the muscles holding her ribs together began to cramp and seize up from being overworked. She suddenly curled up again as her stomach muscles contracted, leaving her prone and helpless. Looking up at her friend through glassed-over eyes, she was barely able to whisper to him that she could hardly move because she was in so much pain.

Roxas could tell that Naomé _was_ in _pain_. She was virtually choking for air and was having her tears of mirth become those of agonized torture. Feeling sorry for her, Roxas tenderly picked his friend up off of the ground and proceeded to carry her into the church and back to the Infirmary. What she needed was to relax, and being out in the middle of a garden wasn't going to do her aching body any good. She needed to be on a soft and comfortable mattress, not hard and backbreaking ground.

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

Robin Hood and Little John had split off from Sora and KazeRyu in order to get changed into their costumes so as not to be discovered by the guards. "Just have fun, and keep an eye for anybody suspicious," Robin had instructed the both of them as he vanished from sight. "Try to look natural, and nobody will suspect you."

KazeRyu had never been fond of festivals, fairs, carnivals, or whatever they were called. To him, they were loud, obnoxious, space-wasting things to pass by the time that had no intention of moving any faster than the pace it'd set for itself ages ago. These kinds of things were just a nuisance to the senses, filled with all different kinds of music, enough bright colors to dazzle one into perpetual blindness, and some of the worst singers around to make someone deaf by the time they left at the end of the day.

Sora, on the other hand, had decided to try his hand at several of the carnival games. Ring tosses, dart throwing, ball tossing and any skill game that would require use of his battle-honed hand-eye-coordination skills did not miss his trained vision. He was the victor of many games, walking away with several prizes in hand. However, his charity was a big surprise to his wolfish cohort, as he was constantly giving away the prizes he'd won so easily away to the children that were wishing they had the money to play. When Kaze questioned him, he merely shrugged and replied that he was really too old to play with stuffed animals, plus he really didn't need them. They weren't crucial to his completing his destiny, so he might as well let the things he won make someone else happy. To him, it was worth the effort to see the smiles of the children when he gave them something.

The citizens of Nottingham were aware of this strange squirrel's generosity, and muttered amongst themselves that they felt that they were blessed with "another Robin Hood," this one finding a way to "rob" from the "rich" vendors and "feeding" the "poor" imaginations of their children. Sora was making himself a local hero second to that of Robin Hood, and it was possibly one of the best honors that could be bestowed upon him by a community that was totally foreign.

_I'm doing good deeds,_ Sora thought as he continued making his way through the fair as Robin's "secret security." _Kairi would be so proud of my trying to be a good guy. She always told me that she was glad to see whenever I did someone a good turn. "One good turn deserves another," she'd always tell me… "One of these days, Sora, the good turns you've done everyone are going to turn around and come back to you."_ He smiled wistfully as he thought of his long-lost best friend from the Destiny Islands, recalling the last time they went to a school carnival together. _Maybe that's why I'm doing all these good things recently…it might be the only way that I'll ever be able to be this close to her without her being here beside me…I just hope that I'll be able to find some answers as to where she is…I'd like to find her and Riku, but especially her…I want her to see just how much I've missed her…_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence – Infirmary_

"Gods, this _really hurts!_ Roxas, why do you have to dig in so hard? It's bad enough I'm already in pain! Your poking and prodding's _torturing me!_" "Sorry, Naomé. I'm trying to be gentle. Besides, you're so stiff that even the softest touch can feel like somebody's punching you instead. Try to relax and not focus on the pain so much."

Naomé growled through clenched fangs, face contorted in pain as she felt Roxas's padded fingers with their blunt nails firmly massage her tense body. He'd been sitting there on the edge of her bed for the last hour-and-a-half, tirelessly working his fingers to the bone to try and help her body relax. The massaging had done some good, but it was nowhere near enough…the pain went deeper than any kind of pain she'd ever felt, down to where even her soul was writhing in agony.

Suddenly, Roxas's fingers struck a hard knot in her shoulder, making her yelp in pain like a terrified puppy and tense up all over again. She whimpered fretfully, clawing at and hugging her pillow as tightly as she could against her body and fought to listen to her friend's words to try and relax again. The rhythmic kneading of Roxas switching to his knuckles to try and gently rub away the knot soothed her anxiety, and she felt herself beginning to calm down once again. It'd been happening like this since he'd brought her back inside, a never-ending cycle that seemed destined to eternally plague her.

"I find it difficult to believe that this much pain can come from laughing my fool head off," Naomé complained.

"I think you must've done something when you knocked me out from underneath the coach yesterday afternoon," Roxas replied. "After all, you _did_ hit me just as the axles came crashing down from the carriage's weight snapping them. I'm guessing that something must've struck you, or that maybe you landed the wrong way when we landed in that ditch."

Naomé gasped as Roxas discovered another knot. "Blasphemies! I'm getting sick of this! If what you said happened, then why would it take this long for this thing to show the freakin' heck up?"

Roxas knew better than to try and correct a woman's language when she was angry or in pain. Instead, he flicked her hair out of the way as it fell back into the path of his fingers from its mistress's shuddering violently as he began working on the new pressure point. "Well, things like this don't always show up right away, Naomé. Some of them take time to develop, or may lie in wait until you least expect them to pop up. Take for instance your cracking up in the garden earlier."

"What about it?"

"Well, things might've been fine until you twisted the wrong way or laughed to a certain extent. The exertion on your body could've caused whatever it was that was waiting for you to 'screw up' just the right way. Then, when you did it, _BANG!_ Down you went! Now, fortunately for you, this didn't happen in the middle of a fight, or else you'd be dead by now."

Naomé scowled. "Gee, thanks for your support."

Roxas went to playfully slap Naomé's shoulder, but instead gave it a rough shove as a more cautious measure. "I was only kidding, Naomé! I was trying to make you feel better!"

"Try again," Naomé replied with a pained smirk. "That didn't work very well, Roxas."

The Master of the KeyStaff groaned as he went back to trying to ease Naomé's pain. _Aw, man…I should've seen that coming…Roxas, you idiot! Naomé got you again!_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

Robin chuckled to himself as he donned his stork peasant farmer costume that he'd dug out from his "kit" of disguises back at his Hideout. Tossing the oversized wide-brimmed hat onto his head and making the final adjustments to his beak and tail, Robin slowly stood up onto the stilts he'd fashioned for his legs and yanked on the gloves that made his hands look like feathered fingers. It was the gloves that Robin was especially proud of, designed so that his fingers could still grip and pull a bow and arrow without being revealed as his own hands.

"Hey, Rob, you look good," Little John said, appearing from the bushes wearing a ridiculous outfit that made him look like a pompous noble. Smirking, he adjusted his mustache and put a monocle with a piece of normal glass set into it against his eye. "How do I look? Am I the Duke of Chutney or what?"

"Good job, _Your Excellency,_" Robin replied, gently poking his friend in the back with a finger. Being taller had its advantages, mainly being able to smack Little John upside the head or effectively poke him in the backside every now and then. "I suppose that you will be able to sit with _His Majesty_ in the royal box?"

"I should have no trouble getting it to happen," John replied, straightening out his jacket. "Now, I suggest that you get to the lists and sign up for that tournament, or else this whole thing will be for nothing!"

This only brought a confident laugh from Robin Hood as he started walking over towards the lists. "Oh, just you watch me, John. This will definitely _not_ be for nothing. I will have my Marion and Prince John will have his archery tournament…one way or another."

Roxas had heard from Friar Tuck about the fair being held that day. He also knew from the Friar about the fact that the Sherriff of Nottingham and Prince John would be there, _and_ that they would be waiting to catch Robin Hood at the closing of the archery tournament. He instinctively knew that Sora and KazeRyu would be in the middle of the action, and that meant trouble.

After extracting a promise from Naomé that she would remain on complete bed rest until he returned to make sure that her back was finally "healed" enough for her to move without further injury, Roxas had asked Brother Bartholomew and Mother Abbess Elizabeth to tend to his friend while he went to the Fairgrounds to help Robin escape Prince John. Friar Tuck was supposedly going to be there already, hiding out to wait in case Robin and his friends needed some help. From what the Brother and Mother Abbess had told him, Friar Tuck was an accomplished master of the quarterstaff. _Maybe I could learn a few lessons from him,_ Roxas had thought as he left. _I sure could use them!_

But, as of now, Roxas had only just entered the Fairgrounds. He needed something to use as a way to keep himself out of suspicion and close to the action. From what he'd learned about Kingdom Hearts's Medieval Period, it was similar to the same time period that Naomé had told him existed in the early days of the Key Islands. There were bound to be a few contests at which Roxas could put his skills to good use!

Sora had arrived at the lists before Robin had, managing to meet up with the stork as the crafty fox headed to register in the archery competition. "Well, Robin. I could hardly recognize you in that getup. Talk about a cross-dresser."

Robin nearly tumbled over. "Sora! You knew it was me? How did you do that?"

"I bent to tie my shoelaces and managed to look up just as you turned away from me," Sora replied flatly. "Did you ever think of wearing pants that would cover everything under your tunic? I could see your tail and various other junk very clearly."

This brought a blush from Robin. "Curses! All right, then, I'll remember not to bend over. Thanks for the heads up, Sora."

"You're welcome. So, I'm guessing you're going to be in the archery competition?"

Robin chuckled darkly. "Of course! What are you doing? Come to stake out a good seat?"

"No. I read on a scroll at the doorway to the Fairgrounds that there were also a joust and a sword fighting competition available for registry. I'm going to be participating in the sword fighting. My skills with my Keyblade should be more than adequate for a victory."

"Adventurous, aren't we? Good luck!"

"Thanks. And good luck to you on the tournament. Don't shoot too straight, now!"

Robin laughed and pounded Sora on the back. "You're a cool one, Sora!" He leaned in close to the metamorphosed Keybearer's ear and whispered confidently. "Don't you worry…no one can disguise a perfect bull's-eye better than good old Robin Hood!"

This brought a smirk from Sora. "I can hardly wait to see _that_, my friend."

Roxas had stalked Sora and a stork that he guessed was Robin Hood to the lists. He, too, had read the scroll about the three competitions available, and he knew that the one for the archery was to trap Robin Hood. As for the sword fighting, Sora was an obvious sucker for showing off, and Roxas was certain that his friend would emerge victorious. But he, on the other hand, had found his niche in the jousting competition. The KeyStaff had been the perfect training for him for that particular event, and he knew things would go well for him if he just remained focused. True, he'd never carried a shield or ridden a horse before, but there was a first time for everything.

Carefully measuring his steps, Roxas fell in behind a group of anxious young men that were chatting away at entering the sword fighting challenge. He smirked at the thought of the looks on their faces when Sora squashed them as he finally came forward to the lists himself. An old owl was sitting before him on the other side of a wooden table with a quill pen in one hand and glancing at him from over polished silver-framed spectacles.

The owl spoke in a slightly grating voice, similar to that of the rough scratching noise of a piece of chalk when it's just starting to squeal on the chalkboard to make that unearthly screeching racket. "Name!"

"Roxas Avalon," Roxas replied immediately. _I don't have to worry about creating a false alias…only a couple people in Sherwood Forest know my name._

"State yer competition!" The owl grunted.

"The joust."

The owl grunted again. "Very well. What district are ye from?"

Roxas felt his knees go weak. In his rush to help Sora, he'd forgotten about the fact that he needed to state where he was from! Nottingham wouldn't work, because nobody knew him! What was he going to do?

"Roxas, my boy! What in the World are you doing here? I thought you said tournaments were too flashy for one of your skills?"

Startled, Roxas glanced behind him. A bear dressed in a pompous noble's outfit that made him look like he'd come to watch the tournament without changing out of his pajamas walked up behind him and put a comradely arm about his shoulders. The bear looked up at the owl and smiled. "This is Sir Roxas Avalon. He is the Grandmaster Knight of the Knights of Chutney and personal champion to myself, Duke Chester Edwards of Chutney."

It appeared that the bear's addressing of Roxas as 'Sir' made an impression on the owl. "Very well, Sir Knight. Please accept my apologies for being so abrupt towards ye. Please, head to the jousting arena to prepare for the jousting tournament. A good luck to ye, Sir Roxas!"

"Apologies accepted, and thank you," Roxas replied courteously as he allowed the bear to escort him through the entry gates and towards the jousting arena. When he was certain he was out of earshot, Roxas immediately hissed reproachfully into the bear's ear. "Little John! You look absolutely ridiculous in that outfit! And I thought _I_ looked awful! And what was with the 'Sir'? I'm not a knight! I'm not even of noble blood!"

Little John tipped Roxas a wink. "Oh, it's not that bad. And, unfortunately for you, your stripes cannot be peeled off. But, my costume can. Anyway, calling you 'Sir' got you into the jousting tournament no questions asked. Knights are _always_ entered into the tournaments upon the very mentioning of their name. Now, it's my turn to ask you a question. Where in the name of Sherwood Forest have you been?"

"Naomé and I have been staying at the Church of Divine Providence."

"The Church of Divine Providence? Friar Tuck never said anything about-"

"I asked him not to say anything," Roxas replied. "And, I already know you're going to ask about Naomé. She's alive, but I think she threw her back out because of saving me from the carriage yesterday afternoon. She's back at the church, and her and I will stay there until everything is safe. We don't want Prince John to get a hold of everybody in one blow. That wouldn't be fair for him or for us."

Little John asked nothing more of Roxas Avalon. "All right. That works. Here, I'll help you get set up for the joust. It's a little complicated, so you should pay very close attention to what I'm about to tell you. I've had to do a few of these things in my life, and they're a _pain!_"

Roxas smiled. "I will. Thanks, Little John."

Sora disliked the fact that he had to wear the ridiculous armor of a knight. Fortunately, all he had to do for the sword fighting competition was to slip on a mail shirt and a tunic over his already preexisting outfit. He'd be protected for sure!

He felt slightly guilty about the fact that he'd lied to the old owl at the registry about being a knight and coming from Essex. In fact, his whole alias of "Sir Quentin Anderson of Essex" had been a thorn in his side the moment he opened his mouth. "Quentin" was the first name his father had wanted to give him (fortunately, his mother had won the heated argument over the name of her only child and had successfully christened him "Sora Yamato" instead of "Quentin Forrest"), and "Anderson" had been his mother's maiden name. He didn't know why the words had come to him in such a flash moment, but now he was going to have to live with it. If things went his way and he won the competition, all of Sherwood Forest would know Sora Yamato Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade, as Sir Quentin Anderson of Essex.

_I wonder just exactly how I'm going to be able to use my Keyblade to win the competition,_ Sora thought._ It will be kind of difficult to pull off, considering the fact that Keyblades don't really exist here. I'm willing to bet that there's somebody in this World that would know what I'm wielding…I just hope it's not the wrong person…_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence_

"_Please,_ Brother Bartholomew! You don't understand! My friends are attending the fair that we heard about from the Friar, and they'll need my help! The Prince is going to be there, and he's going to be on the lookout for Robin Hood! If Robin's there, which you can assure yourself that he will, then everyone that is a friend of his is in danger! I _have_ to help them!"

The tiny Brother could tell that Naomé, despite the pain she was in, was a stubborn creature that would not back down. Her loyalty was impressive, but he _did_ have his requests from Roxas that the Second Keybearer was to remain at the church until the fair was over. Naomé's back was still stiff, and now it was starting to become _very sore._ He could only guess that the pain was what was making her so crabby. She hadn't been this impolite when she'd arrived the previous evening.

The Mother Abbess tried to placate Naomé. "Now, now, dear, there's no need to get upset. Your friends are going to be just fine. If your friends are all as clever as Roxas is, then they'll be able to outwit Prince John and still have time for dinner. Mark my words, Naomé, everything will be fine. Now please, try to relax. You won't do yourself or your friends any favors if you throw your back out again. Please calm down and just let us help you recover."

Naomé scowled darkly and buried herself underneath the sheet that Roxas had placed over her when she'd finally fallen asleep from total exhaustion and pain. Folding her arms across her chest, she suddenly noticed that her ears had flattened back against the sides of her head and she was baring her fangs in utmost frustration. She could feel her tail flickering back and forth underneath the sheet, another sign of her displeasure at being forced to total bed rest for at least the next couple days. Growling softly as the Mother Abbess and the Brother took their leave, Naomé brooded in solitude, glaring angrily at the homely stone walls of the church as though she were staring down the walls of a prison. She felt like a caged animal, and if there was one thing she hated, it was feeling like a caged animal.

_May the gods curse your pathetic soul, Roxas Avalon…I've got a score to settle with you when you get back! And if you _don't_ come back, I won't go and rescue you from whatever trouble you've gotten yourself into! You and everyone else will be on your own on this one! I'll stay here, all right…just you watch me!_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

_CRASH!_

A roar went up from the crowd as Roxas managed to successfully dismount his opponent, sending the armored beast head over tail and backwards off of his horse's rump and splat into the muddy ground. The knight's lance and shield went two different directions, his horse a third, and his helmet a fourth. His beaten foe lay there on the ground, half-stunned from the frightful blow of lance striking shield only moments before.

Roxas had found himself shocked when he'd discovered that he had an innate knack for horseback riding. _The only time I ever rode a horse was those on the carousel back in Twilight Town, and that was whenever Naminé and I attended the Carnival of Dreams! Where did this talent come from?_

Prince John, who was seated in the royal box that had a perfect view of all three arenas, watched Roxas with a wondering eye. It appeared that this strange raccoon was an accomplished knight, as he had yet to be unhorsed. _I could use someone like this in my forces,_ the Prince mused as he watched Roxas prepare for the fourth and final round of his joust.

Out on the field, meanwhile, Roxas waited by his end of the barrier that separated him from his challenger. He'd learned early not to get cocky…several other knights had been eliminated due to an obvious show of their overconfidence. A few of those unfortunate ones had fallen to Roxas's lance. He only had this final round to go, and he would be the victor…or so he hoped.

His opponent was a big, burly knight that hardly seemed to fit in his armor and his horse could hardly hold him up. The fellow was a sinewy creature with their visor already drawn down over their face and a wielder of an especially heavy lance and thick steel shield. It was all too obvious that Roxas's lance and his lighter shield would be hard-pressed to defend him.

Secretly, while he was still hidden from the view of all, he Summoned his KeyStaff from its hidden location and motioned to Little John, who was standing several yards away. He made it plain that he wanted the portly bear to request on his behalf that he be permitted to use his weapon to joust with. After all, his opponent was using a lance and shield that were much heavier than his were. Why couldn't he even up the score?

Surprisingly, the field judge agreed, especially when Little John made the remark that the lance Roxas was about to use was only granted to the Grandmaster Knight of the Knights of Chutney. Alerting the crowd to the spectacle about to unfold before their very eyes, the judge stepped into a safe distance away from the field and bade both knights to be ready.

Roxas could hardly contain his glee at the thought of using his KeyStaff as the way to win the award for the champion of the jousting competition. Slamming down the visor on his helmet, he readied his weapon and shield for the attack. The Master of the KeyStaff smiled wickedly in the shadow of his helm, courage spurring him on as he urged his horse into a full-blown charge at the judge's signal.

Over where the sword fighting competition was being held, Sora was finding himself in the same kind of skillful luck. The Keyblade had been permitted to be entered, as Sora had made the excuse that the Knights of Essex had these strange weapons given to them when they reached a certain skill level and had accomplished a certain term of service beforehand. The judge there had also acknowledged the request, leaving Sora to do what he did best.

His current foe had made him suspicious of Heartless being around. If he looked closely, he thought he could see just the traces of two eerie pale golden-yellow orbs glow between the openings in the visor, as well as hear a sibilant hissing sound. His foe's swordsmanship skills were almost too good to be believed for one who was as experienced with "swordsmanship" as he was, not to mention they were moving a little too fluidly for his liking. _Only Heartless can move and fight like this…I'd better defeat my opponent before "it" catches onto me!_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence_

Naomé was desperate to get out of her current position. _My friends are in danger! I _know_ they are! My instincts have never failed me in the past, so why would they have any reason to fail me now? I've got to find a way out of here and to wherever they're holding the carnival! Sora and the others need my help!_

For the past hour, Naomé had been trying to get herself out of bed whenever she wasn't being "checked on." Much to her dismay and irritation, her body was unwilling to comply with her wishes, and so she'd been forced to remain bedridden and try again later. And try again she had, struggling and gritting her teeth through immense waves of pins-and-needle-like sensations that ran from head to toe. It was especially difficult to move her lower body, and that was the part that she needed to move the most.

Finally giving up due to the fact that she was in so much pain, Naomé sank back down in exhaustion beneath the covers, her mind offering her only one grim self-diagnosis:

_I've pinched a nerve in my back! My lower body's virtually paralyzed! I won't be able to move until the nerve releases, and that might be for several days! Great…_now_ what am I supposed to do?_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

Roxas reeled in his saddle but managed to remain upright as his enemy went thundering past him. The move had been a close call: the heavy war lance that he was facing down had knocked the wind out of him the last time it'd connected, and that was the round before the last one, in which he'd successfully sent his opponent reeling in _their_ saddle.

Gathering his wits, Roxas glanced over at the scoreboard. It was two points all…a contestant needed three points to be able claim victory for a round. It would take a light tap either way for one of them to win the day. He was bound and determined to make sure that he was the victor.

The field judge called for the Master of the KeyStaff to prepare for the final round of the joust. A scowl crossed the features of Roxas Avalon as he slammed the visor of his helmet down over his face and readied the KeyStaff. Glaring angrily across the field at his foe as he spurred his horse forward, Roxas suddenly felt his blood go cold as his foe locked gazes with him. His enemy had glowing amber-golden-yellow eyes…the tell-tale sign of a Heartless!

_I'm jousting a Heartless! There're Heartless in the competitions! The games have been rigged! Sora and I are going to lose, and whoever the Infiltrator is here is going to know who we are! We'll be as good as dead before we know it! Oh, Sora…watch out!_

Up in the royal box, Sir Hiss leaned in close to Prince John's ear. "Sire, I think we know what we're up against now, don't we?"

Prince John smiled evilly. "We do indeed, Hiss…we do indeed…" He turned his gaze back to the arena before him and allowed a wicked chuckle to arise up into his throat, the sound like a malicious purr. _I know who and what you are, Sora, Master of the Keyblade…soon you will know who and what _I_ am…_


	30. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Now You Know Me…Now You Don't!"

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

Sora dodged an attack from his Heartless foe, the singing sword just narrowly missing his side as he swirled around in an effortless twirl, his tail flicking up and catching itself around his body from the speed of his move. Leaping backwards as the sword point tried to stab at his ankles, Sora brought the Keyblade flashing over his head in a heavy-handed arc, striking his enemy square on the top of its helmet, stunning them and having them almost drop their sword.

Taking his chances, Sora rushed his opponent, striking in every conceivable place he could to push his foe back ad away from him, concluding with a mighty circular slash around his body that struck his foe squarely at the base of its midsection and sent them flying backwards and out of the bounds of the ring. He gave a triumphant smile despite his being breathless as he heard the bell end the final round of the challenge. He'd won the tournament!

KazeRyu had taken to stalking about the Fairgrounds for anything suspicious (which to him was just about everything). Keeping one hand on SaigaSama at all times, the celestial werewolf craftily hid himself amongst the various booths and tents that made up the gay event, pale eyes carefully tracking every guard that crossed his path. The archery tournament was after the joust and the sword fighting competition, so that meant Robin had time to kill and plenty of it.

As far as KazeRyu was concerned, the more time Robin had free, the more time Prince John's guards had to discover the outlaw and arrest him before the competition. True, Robin's (supposed) master archery skills could be a dead giveaway should he make it to the tournament, but that didn't mean that the Prince had set the competition up and not try to flush Robin out prematurely.

He had also chosen to be particularly careful… the day before, KazeRyu had picked up an unearthly scent coming from the carriage…the stench of burning sulfur mixed with a mild acid…the tell-tale scent of an Infiltrator. Once he'd smelled the blood of Gaston back in Beast's Castle, he knew all too well how to recognize the aura of an Infiltrator, a commander of the Heartless forces given to them. He hadn't said anything, but he'd suspected Prince John to be the Infiltrator, as the scent had only appeared when they'd approached the carriage.

At first, the celestial werewolf had thought of telling Sora to be on his guard, but he'd decided against it. The youth needed to learn how to spot an Infiltrator without anybody else's help. If he didn't, and he got caught, then why did KazeRyu have to worry about it? Did it matter to him? Not really. He could Seal Kingdom Hearts himself should the boy manage to fail because of a silly mistake. He'd initially felt that way about Roxas, but the time he'd spent with him back in Beast's Castle had made him change his mind. The Master of the KeyStaff was higher in KazeRyu's estimations than Sora, but he still had a long way to go.

And, as for Naomé, he would tell her anything and everything necessary to keep her safe and sound. She was the only one that he would truly trust and obey without question. He had been given strict orders to protect her, and he wasn't going to go back on them…especially since the person he'd received the commands from was _definitely_ not one to be disobeyed.

Roxas knew he had to act fast. His opponent's lance was headed straight for him, and he'd made the mistake of riding too close to the fence separating them from one another! If the lance connected, then it would go right past his shield and straight into his chest, knocking him backwards and causing him to lose! If that happened, who knew what could happen to him? Surely an Infiltrator would be watching to see who would emerge wielding a Keyblade or a weapon that employed the use of them, wouldn't they? That way, they'd be able to tell who their biggest threat was! If Roxas presented himself as a threat, then that would mean curtains for him!

Thinking swiftly, Roxas raised his KeyStaff in response to the threat and tightened his grasp on his shield. Preparing himself for the feeling of being unhorsed, he let fly with the Oathkeeper end of the KeyStaff and sent it crashing into his enemy's shield with all the force he could muster in so short a distance.

The strike was more than perfect…it was exceptional. Roxas's quick thinking had allowed him to hit his Heartless foe with enough power to knock his enemy clean out of their saddle and to the ground. Unfortunately, the move had not been without its drawbacks, as his enemy's lance had come bashing up at an angle through his own shield, straight above his left forearm and through the outside edge of the joint where his shoulder pad connected to his breastplate _and_ out of the top of the shoulder pad itself! The lance had gotten so close that it'd actually scratched the outside of Roxas's helmet!

The crowd was in total pandemonium, leaping to their feet with a roar of thunderous applause and voices chanting his name. Their shouting was so loud the field judge was unable to announce Roxas properly as the winner of the jousting tournament.

Roxas felt his heart beating wildly, his body suddenly flushing with a burning heat he hadn't felt since he'd won the Struggle tournament back when he was a child in Twilight Town. With a victorious roar that shook him to the core of his soul, Roxas Launcelot Avalon snapped the visor of his helmet back to reveal his face and raised his mighty KeyStaff to the skies, whereupon the throng of spectators raised their fists in salute to their raccoon hero, chanting his name back to him as though he were an almighty god.

Over in the sword fighting arena, Sora heard the commotion from the jousting competition. Whirling around, he gaped in shock when he saw the lanky raccoon outfitted in lightweight steel and leather armor, wearing a shield that had part of a splintered lance going through it from the bottom half of the shield and straight up and through the left shoulder pad sitting atop a fine black stallion and raising a mysterious weapon in salute to the people of Nottingham…a weapon that had a shining white key-like weapon on one side and a ebony black one to match on the other end…

_Oathkeeper and Oblivion! Those are the Keyblades Roxas had on the KeyStaff! That's the KeyStaff, and that's Roxas! He won the jousting tournament! What the heck happened to him in that last round? I hope that lance didn't pierce his breastplate! He'd be gravely injured!_

"_Roxas!_" Sora shouted, dashing across the arena. Taking the gate separating the archery and sword fighting arenas with a flying leap, the Master of the Keyblade dashed headlong towards the jousting tournament, his speed allowing him to fly effortlessly across the top of the third gate and into the field. With another triumphant shout of his friend's name, Sora vaulted over the jousting barrier and ran to his friend's side.

The sight of his friend brought a full-blown laugh from Roxas, who had taken off his shoulder pad and the shield. Dismounting, he nearly got bowled over as Sora came barreling into him with the force of a juggernaut. The two friends collapsed into the dirt, howling with joy to see one another. Both warriors pounded each other on the back and punched and socked one another in greeting, gauntlets striking shoulder pads and breastplates and smacking the backs and sides of helmets. Roxas flipped Sora around and caught him in a chokehold, grinding the knuckles of his gauntlets into the top of Sora's helmet as though he were rustling his friend's hair up.

"Where have you _been?_" Sora laughed, squirming in Roxas's viselike grip and attempting to reach up and behind his head to yank his friend's helmet off. "I thought you got captured after that little incident yesterday!"

"What? That?" Roxas replied, pushing Sora to the ground. "I think not! Naomé saved me from that! And yes, she's all right! Well…I should say _sort of._ Truth be told, I think she threw her back out when she knocked me out from beneath the carriage."

"_What?_" Sora yelped. "Where is she now?"

"She's back in the Church of Divine Providence. We met a badger name Friar Tuck there. He's a nice guy, and he allowed us to stay there with Brother Bartholomew and Mother Abbess Elizabeth."

"I know who Friar Tuck is," Sora said. "He's a very good and extremely close friend of Robin's. In fact, I met him this morning."

Roxas nodded sagely. "Ah, so _that's_ where he went! He told Naomé and I he was going to meet a friend for breakfast. Now I know who that friend was! Did he come with you guys to the carnival? I need to tell him something about the Sherriff of Nottingham coming to visit earlier this morning."

Sora shrugged. "He did, but I don't know where he vanished to. I bet he'll pop up eventually. Who knows? Maybe he decided to leave early and head back to the church. I bet Naomé will tell him about the stuff with the Sherriff."

Blaring trumpets cut them short. The archery tournament was about to begin!

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence - Infirmary_

Naomé glowered icily at the sunlight that was coming in through the window across the room. The nice weather, coupled with the pleasant light, was making her angry and causing her to curse her actions from the day before. Yes, Roxas might've died, but she would've been able to help Sora.

But then, Naomé found herself stopping and reflecting back on all the things Roxas had done for her since they'd arrived in Sherwood Forest, including his bringing her in from outside, setting her down in her bed, and sitting there for a couple hours and doing nothing but massaging her body to try and get her to loosen up so the pain would not be so intense. He'd left her shortly after she'd fallen asleep, but had been kind enough to tuck her in and make her comfortable despite her injured state. _For not having a lot of experience as far as anything medical goes, Roxas is a very good doctor. I felt better when I woke up, despite the fact that I know I'm down for several days, and I'm kind of hoping he'll come back and do it all over again._

"How are you feeling? Roxas told me you were in a lot of pain when he left."

Snapping out of her reverie, Naomé saw the homely face of Friar Tuck peek around the door at her with an encouraging smile. She smiled back. "I'm doing all right, Friar," She replied. But then, frowning, she motioned towards her covered and useless lower body. "Unfortunately, I believe I did something to throw out my back when I saved Roxas from the near-tragic-accident with Prince John's carriage yesterday. I'm afraid I'm going to be laid up for a while."

Friar Tuck came in with a bowl of freshly made soup, a piece of slightly crusty bread, a cup of tea, and a small glass of milk. He set the small tray he'd been carrying down on the bed and gave it a gentle push towards Naomé. "There you are, young lady. Eat up." He tipped Naomé a broad wink. "There's nothing like good food to help heal a bad back."

"Thank you very much," Naomé replied gratefully, taking a tentative bite of the steaming and boiling hot soup. It was really good…Roxas obviously must've set the soup out on the fire to slowly simmer its way to perfection before he'd left for the carnival grounds right after she'd fallen asleep. How else could a soup as good as this one have been done in only a few minutes? Here there weren't tin cans filled with condensed soups and microwave ovens that you could pop Pyrex dishes into and zap the mixture for three or four minutes. Food was made from scratch and quite often in advance, some meals even taking all day long to make. To Naomé, nothing tasted better than home-grown, home-cooked food…it was a lot healthier that way, too.

"If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask," Friar Tuck said, giving Naomé a gentle pat on the shoulder. "The fair should be over by late this afternoon, so Roxas will be returning here shortly. Also, I met your friends Sora and KazeRyu. I spoke nothing of your being here, seeing as Roxas told me that he would handle that himself, so your friends might be stopping by for a visit later tonight."

_Sora will probably throw a fit when Roxas tells him that I threw out my back,_ Naomé thought as she took a bite of her bread and a sip of her tea to wash it down. _Of course, I still think I pinched a nerve down there in my lower back somewhere…I wish I knew exactly where it was so I could try to fix it myself. I can't stand being down for the count when others are counting on my help. Kingdom Hearts is more important than a bad back…I should be outside helping Sora, not inside cursing my fate!_

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

Robin was lined up with nineteen other archers, one of which being the Sherriff of Nottingham. He checked his bow for any signs of it being rigged, including any fraying in the bowstring, as he knew the Prince would do anything to catch him off guard and reveal him that much quicker. He was bound and determined to win that golden arrow and kiss from Maid Marion, even if he did have to do what he'd told Sora earlier that day and carry the World on his shoulders for all eternity. Nothing would come between him and his Marion!

Marion was in fact attending the tournament, seated up in the royal box with Prince John, Sir Hiss and her attendant, Lady Cluck. Little John had made a last-minute appearance and had flattered the Prince into inviting him to sit with them and watch the remainder of the tournament, thus giving himself a perfect vantage point in case things went wrong (which he was certain they would).

Roxas and Sora were standing on the sidelines, Roxas being closer to the royal box so as to protect his "Lord Chutney." Master of the Keyblade and Master of the KeyStaff watched the playing field suspiciously, especially Roxas, who was severely eyeballing the Sherriff of Nottingham, who was standing next to Robin. He didn't trust the wolf, and had clearly shown it when the pompous official had walked past him in the procession to the center arena. Robin had tipped him a wink, but that did little to calm him. He was still irritated with the portly wolf and his antics from earlier that morning.

Prince John made himself especially comfortable in his throne, beady little eyes taking in the view of the archery tournament spread before him. The barriers for the sword fighting and jousting competitions had been taken down to give the archers plenty of room to open up and be able to take their best shots without stabbing one another. Painted bull's-eye targets were tied to "miniature" haystacks so as not to tip over in the slight breeze that was suddenly puffing up, red-and-white markings brilliantly bright from the afternoon sunlight striking them head on.

Sighing in content, the Prince nodded at the field judge to have the archers prepare for the first round of the contest. This was going to be good …for _him_, anyway…

Unbeknownst to his sovereign, Sir Hiss had snuck off into the Fairgrounds. He was in a nasty mood…Little John had managed to flatter Prince John into forcing Hiss to surrender his seat in the royal box, thus leaving the insulted serpent painfully outcast and left to his own devices.

The snake, however, was now heading back towards the royal box, as he'd only moments before spotted Robin Hood, still in his stork disguise, speaking to the Sherriff of Nottingham. Due to his being a "ground crawler," he had no trouble sneaking in for a closer look…and spotted Robin's tail ending just before the hem of the tunic!

_The stork is Robin Hood!_ The thought raced through Sir Hiss's mind._ The stork is Robin Hood!_ Armed now with the knowledge that would get him back in the Prince's good graces, Sir Hiss turned and slithered as quickly as he could back towards the royal box. Everything was over for Robin Hood…victory would be the Prince's this day!

KazeRyu thought he heard something rustling in the grass. Ducking behind a tent, he noticed Sir Hiss, pompous little cap, collar, and all, slithering along the ground as fast as he could possibly go, muttering almost incoherently to himself as he climbed up one of the support poles for another tent in order to try and wriggle his way across the various banners that were strewn about.

"I must tell His Majesty! The stork is Robin Hood! I have found the foxy thief! We shall be victorious today! Robin Hood is finished!"

_Robin Hood? Oh, crap! That is Prince John's pet, Sir Hiss! The sneaky serpent saw through Robin's disguise! Curses! I _knew_ something was going to happen! Oh, wait…_ The celestial werewolf allowed a smug grin to cover his canine features. _This _is not_ going to happen…because _I_ will not _let_ it happen! That snake is not going anywhere! Robin will make it out of here alive today, even if he does not succeed in becoming the tournament champion!_

_THOKKK!_

The crowd in attendance of the archery tournament roared their approval as Robin's arrow flew straight and true into the center of the target. Robin was about to doff his hat to the crowd, but then suddenly remembered that his ears would show himself up, so he merely smiled and waved to his cheering fans.

The Sheriff of Nottingham scowled as he aimed and fired his own shot, which was also a perfect bull's-eye. Next to Robin Hood, the Sherriff was the best shot in all of the World. If he were to defeat Robin Hood, then nothing would stop him from being the best of all, and the sound of _that_ made him shiver with glee.

As the last archers finished shooting, an alligator that was presiding as the field judge for the tournament strode haughtily out into the arena, his scaly tail flicking back and forth beneath a flamboyantly trimmed pinkish-purple cloak. His sneaky little eyes were as keen as a sword tip, and he took everything in with a sneering expression. As he made his way into the arena, he could feel the crowd glaring at him, as though ordering him to not eliminate Robin Hood…that is, not without dire consequences.

Roxas and Sora leaned casually off of one side of the royal box, chatting away amicably.

"Say, that stork from Devonshire is a pretty good shot, ain't he?"

Sora immediately recognized that Roxas was trying to strike up a conversation about Robin in a roundabouts sort of way. Smiling wryly, the squirrel Keyblade Master responded to Roxas while leaning against his Keyblade. He tipped his friend a wink as he slipped in a bit of the linguistics he'd been picking up on the Fairgrounds that day. "Oh, aye, that he is! He's a foxy one, he is! The Sherriff's gonna have his paws full trying to keep that one from stealing that golden arrow and the kiss!"

The attempt at the language made Roxas smile back. He had learned long ago from someone very dear to his heart just how to communicate in the way that the people of Sherwood Forest were, and he was pleased that he was finally able to put those lesson to good use. "A golden arrow and a kiss, eh? Hang the arrow, lad! I would want the kiss from the fair maiden! I hear she is the most beautiful one here in these parts! If I were the winner, I'd trade the arrow for one more kiss with her!"

"You and me both, friend!" Sora replied, clapping Roxas on the back.

Roxas grinned and returned the gesture. "Aye! So, where are you from?"

"Essex," Sora replied. "And yourself?"

"I come from Essex, too," Roxas said. "What part do you call home, my friend?"

"Southwest a bit. And you?"

"Northeast is where my loyalties lie. What name do you go by?"

Sora now _really_ regretted his choosing of his alias, but he grinned and bore it with as much tolerance as he could muster. "Sir Quentin Anderson. And to whom do I have the honor of addressing?"

_Sora knows his way around this pretty good…_ Roxas thought. He held his hand out for Sora to shake. "Sir Roxas Avalon, Grandmaster Knight of the Knights of Chutney."

_Curses…_ Sora thought darkly to himself. _Roxas doesn't have to worry about hiding his identity…but still, I would be careful if I were him._ Trying hard to not let anyone see him, Sora leaned in close to Roxas. "You idiot!" He hissed. "Why are you using your real name? That's dangerous! I'm sure word's gotten around Kingdom Hearts by now who you are and who you're hanging around with! You should be more careful, Roxas!"

Roxas leaned back in towards Sora, whispering out of the corner of his mouth. "I, unlike you, have no fears. It is you who should be using an alias, which you already are. I know that the Infiltrator commander has to be somewhere close by. In fact, I'm starting to have my suspicions."

This made Sora immediately perk up with interest. "Oh, really? Who?"

"Well, I suspect the Sherriff is definitely in cahoots with the Infiltrators, but he's much too stupid to be a commander."

Sora sniggered, forcing him to clamp a hand over his mouth to choke it back.

Roxas continued. "The Prince, however, _definitely_ has the power to control an army of Heartless without any trouble at all. My guess is Prince John is the commander, and that the Sherriff does the dirty work for him while he hangs about back at the castle. I'm keeping my eye on both of them."

Sora scowled. "If I were Robin, I would keep my eyes peeled, too. Not only is he already an outlaw here in Sherwood Forest, but he's also technically on my side, making him a double target." He turned to face the arena as he heard a roar erupt from the throats of the spectators. When he saw Robin's impressive shot, he let out with a whoop. "Yaylahoo! Good shot!"

Roxas smiled in approval. "Aye, aye! 'Twas an excellent shot, bird! Keep it up, and you'll shoot that wolf clean under the haystack that stands before him!"

The Master of the Keyblade laughed at Roxas's quaint turn of speech as he turned back to watch the remainder of the competition.

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Church of Divine Providence - Infirmary_

Naomé was able to twitch about just slightly, the rest she'd been taking for the last couple hours, along with Friar Tuck's good food and Roxas's careful ministrations earlier, seeming to finally do some good and loosen her tense body up. However, despite her finally regaining some of the movement of her lower body, that little bit of flexibility came with a painful cost: she received an excruciating jolt of a burning pins-and-needles-like sensation every time she moved. For her to even flick a toe would cause her to grit her teeth and gasp in pain.

_Forget any means of torture,_ Naomé thought angrily as she attempted to scoot to the edge of her bed so she could sit up for a little bit. _All a torturer has to do is throw their target's back out for a couple hours and then let time take care of the rest! I've _never experienced_ pain like _this_ before, and I sure as Hell hope that I never have to again!_

When she was finally able to get so that she was sitting on the edge of her bed, she was able to look out of the window and towards the path leading out to the eastern reaches of Sherwood Forest and the mountains beyond them. She found herself doing what she had always done back on the Key Islands: looking to the horizon and wondering what was beyond it. Was there another World on the other side of those high peaks, another Heart waiting to be turned to the Light by Sora? Were there people there, living in Darkness, in fear, hoping and praying that one day the Hero of the Keyblade will come to save them from their dark fate?

"Sora must love having an entire universe of people look to him like he's some sort of mythical god," Naomé said softly to the afternoon sky outside, gray eyes churning with an inward turmoil. "Even if he hasn't let it get to his head, even if he doesn't really care that's what the people of Kingdom Hearts think of him, it must still be nice to feel…_needed_."

A thought suddenly flashed through the mind of the Second Keybearer, making her flinch at the power of it. What if she took Sora's Keyblade and went to those mountains herself? What if she stole her fellow Keybearer's fabled weapon and tried to save a World on her own? She was the Second Keybearer…she was capable of saving a World all by her lonesome! Besides, Sora could live without his weapon for a couple days…she wouldn't be gone that long, anyway…just long enough to go over the other side of the mountains, save the World that was possibly there, and then just simply come back and give the Keyblade back to Sora, and perhaps even a Ring of the Heart. It wouldn't be _that_ difficult…besides, how long could it possibly take for her to Seal a World all by herself?

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – Fairgrounds_

The contestants in the archery competition had been whittled down to two: Robin Hood and the Sherriff. Both fox and wolf were making final preparations to their bows, checking the strings, selecting shafts, testing the sudden breeze that'd whipped up so as to not overshoot and have the wind make them miss their mark.

Beneath his costume, Robin couldn't help but smile. As was to be expected, he'd made it to the final round of the contest, and he was now going to prove once and for all that even in a stork costume that he was the best shot in all of Sherwood Forest!

_I have to be especially careful now,_ Robin thought as he tried to read the Sherriff, who was standing next to him, and Prince John, who was seated in the royal box at the opposite end of the arena. He smiled when he saw Sora and Roxas waiting next to the box, as though they were expecting trouble, their Keyblade and KeyStaff readied in the event of an attack. _Those two good beasts…one would be greatly blessed to call them their friends…but, seeing Roxas here makes me wonder where Naomé is…I hope she is all right…_

Roxas had a feeling that something was amiss. The atmosphere of the arena had gained a slight chill to it. True, it was filled with tension (the crowd obviously knew that Robin Hood, their local hero, was the stork farmer from Devonshire), but it was also laced with hidden danger…he could almost feel the air churning with malicious intent. He found himself tightening his grip on his KeyStaff, felt his fur begin to prickle as the air took on an unearthly heaviness to it. To one whose senses weren't battle-honed, they would merely think that the weather was taking a turn. But, to someone like Roxas Avalon, the change meant more…much, much more…

"Do you feel that?" Roxas whispered to Sora.

Sora nodded. "The air's changed. I can almost smell the Darkness in it. Can you?"

It was Roxas's turn to nod. "I can, and I don't like it."

"Me either," Sora replied, his right hand, the one gripping the Keyblade, clenching and unclenching the grip in tense anticipation. He, like Roxas, felt his fur prickle at the hidden static in the winds, sensed his body growing anxious at what he was certain was about to take place. To him, the change in the air meant only one thing…

_Heartless!_

KazeRyu, like Roxas and Sora, had detected the threat of Darkness in the air. He had picked it up several hours before they had…being a "true" animal and a warrior against the forces of Darkness for many a year, he could detect these kinds of uprisings well in advance. He had known before he'd woken up that morning that a clash against the Darkness was going to happen that afternoon.

Carefully drawing SaigaSama, the celestial werewolf warrior took to the shadows in a silent, stealthy half-crouch, skillfully concealing the blade's appearance by turning his body from straight ahead to where his left shoulder was more forward than his right. His nose twitched as he detected the air shifting again, the scent of the shadows becoming stronger.

The Darkness was approaching…

_Fast._

Up in the royal box, Prince John took a deep breath, reveling in the energy that was charging the air. He could feel his craven, childish heart beating wildly at the hidden threat of the Darkness that he was detecting in it. Robin Hood was soon to discover at just how much of a disadvantage he really was…the Prince had seen through his disguise back when he'd struck his first bull's-eye at the start of the competition, and now his foxy friend was going to deal with a numerous force of the shadowy creatures called the Heartless. The impish Prince was enjoying the feeling of power that he was sensing, and it made him feel good.

At first, back when the Prince had heard about the Infiltrators, he was wary to join with them. However, when the hooded black fox, Aros Validar, he who had claimed himself as the herald of Maleficent and the Infiltrators, had come to visit him at his castle months before, offering him the chance to gain more power than he had ever dreamed, he'd reasoned he'd be foolish to turn away that kind of power. He took the offer at a bound, knowing full well he would be able to oust his brother, King Richard, for good.

However, there was one thing he _didn't_ like…the leader of the Infiltrators, Maleficent. The witch had rubbed his fur the wrong way upon his first meeting her, and her condescending nature and attitude had made him feel vulnerable and weak…two things that Prince John did _not_ like feeling. In those first few tense, moments, the craven Prince had decided he wanted more than anything to see Maleficent eliminated (by his paw, of course), and to take her place as the head of the Infiltrators. Once he had all the power, he would go for the greatest power of all…_Kingdom Hearts._

A sudden roar from the crowd made the Prince stop in the middle of his dark thoughts. Looking out towards the arena, he saw that his plan was finally going into motion…Robin Hood had just won the second round of the archery tournament, thus placing him in the finals!

"And so it begins," Prince John hissed under his breath. "Your time has come, fox…you will no longer stand in the path of my grand scheme of ultimate conquest…you shall be the first my friends from the Darkness shall devour…the first of many…"

_Sherwood Forest – Nottingham Village – The East Path_

Naomé walked steadily on, her eyes trained on the mountains ahead of her. Her body was without any traces of pain from her "attack" earlier that morning, so she was free and clear to move as she pleased.

Momentarily, the Second Keybearer paused and glanced back behind her. The Church of Divine Providence was about a mile behind her, but she could just barely make out its topmost peak. She knew that about a half-mile beyond that was the outskirts of Nottingham Village, and inside of _that_ was where the fair was being held, the fair her friends were at.

As she thought about her friends, a sudden flare in her temper caught her attention. She'd been thinking about Roxas, and her memory had suddenly triggered a bad reaction as she unwittingly recalled the lecture he'd given her before he'd left.

_I'm going to the fair. I'll be back before dark, Naomé. I promise. Just take it easy._

_I'll come with you-_

_No!_

Naomé recalled that she had bolted upright in bed. _No? Why no?_

_Because…it's too dangerous._

_Too dangerous? Why?_

_You're still injured Naomé._

_True, but not enough so that it keeps me from coming with you!_

_Naomé, look at you! You can't even move!_

_So what?_

_So, you can't even get out of bed, that's what! And even if you _could,_ you would be in a very vulnerable state! Just _one small tap,_ and _bam!_ Down you'd go, helpless and defenseless! I won't let you take that risk, Naomé! I want you stay here and rest!_

_You can't make me!_

_Yes, I can!_

_No, you can't!_

_Naomé, don't you _dare_ try to get out of that bed!_

_And what if I do, eh? What are you gonna do about it, Roxas Avalon?_

Roxas had proven his point by virtually clearing the distance from the door to her bed in a single giant stride and had shoved her back into her pillows with a heavy hand to her chest. The expression on his face had been cold, hard, and unforgiving…an expression Naomé had never seen before from him, let alone gotten from anyone in her life. Not even the few memories of her father's stern gaze boring into her came close to the glare from the eyes of Roxas Avalon.

_Naomé, I'm not telling you now…I'm _ordering_ you! I _do not_ want to see you get up out of this bed until _at least_ tomorrow morning!_

_Tomorrow morning?_

_That's right! Tomorrow morning! Don't even _think_ of moving until then!_

_I don't need to think about it! I can move just fine!_

The Master of the KeyStaff had curled his lip in scorn at her. _Oh, yeah, you can move, all right…unless your memory fails you, you tried to move about an hour ago, and your back seized back up on you! It took me forty-five minutes to get you stupid back to loosen up and leave you alone! And you think you can move?_

_I can!_

_You can't, and you won't! Lie back in that bed and rest, Naomé! Right now, rest is the best thing for that back! I'll be back before dark. _Don't move_, do you understand me?_

Naomé had intentionally remained silent.

_Naomé, do you understand me?_

She had kept her mouth shut.

Roxas had gotten right up into her face, his eerie crystal blue eyes boring into her gray-eyed gaze with bubbling irritation. His voice exploded in her ears like it had before, echoing with god-like wrath.

_Do you understand me, Naomé Windom?_

Naomé had thrown Roxas's temper right back at him. _Yes, I understand you, you idiot! I won't move! Let go of me already, you damned freak!_

_Good! Now, lie down and try to get some sleep. I'll be back before dark. Now, be good!_

The sound of Roxas sharply yanking the old oaken door into place and the echo of it locking in the chamber made Naomé's irritation flare again. She tightened the grasp on the quarterstaff she was using as an improvised walking stick, her knuckles turning white as the whites of her eyes, which were blazing in anger and resentment.

"You can't tell me what to do, Roxas Avalon," Naomé muttered darkly under her breath as she turned around and faced the mountains once again. "You or anyone else! I'm the Second Keybearer…I don't need anyone telling me what to do…I can take care of myself!"

After a quick adjustment of the small sack of provisions she'd taken from the church kitchens and readjusting her grip on her staff, Naomé entered the eastern reaches of Sherwood Forest. She quickly vanished into the cool, dense foliage of the forest, finally disappearing from the eyes of Nottingham Village altogether.

No one, not even Naomé herself, knew when she would come back…

…That is, _if_ she ever came back…


	31. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

King Richard Returns, the Heartless Arrive

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Fairgrounds_

The crowd cheered so loudly that they could be probably be heard in the neighboring provinces. Robin's shot had landed dead center in the target, literally splitting the Sherriff of Nottingham's shaft in two, thus crowning him as the champion of the day's events!

Smiling hugely behind his beak, Robin Hood waved in salute to the crowd, while all the while his instincts were persistently and _in_sistently alerting him to some unforeseen danger on the horizon. _I keep having this feeling that I'm about to get more than what I bargained for by signing up for this tournament…a _whole lot_ more…_

Sora looked sharply up at Roxas, light ocean blue eyes clouded with suspicion. "Prince John's smiling behind those scruffy whiskers of his…something's up."

Roxas nodded tersely. "I have a feeling that the Prince has seen through Robin's disguise. I'm willing to bet you that he's got something cooked up for our friend the master outlaw archer. What it is, I'm not exactly sure, but I know that he has to have some ingenious plot hidden up those oversized sleeves of his."

"Yeah, and I bet it has to do with the Heartless and the Infiltrators," Sora commented gruffly. He suddenly noticed the Sherriff's knowing smirk back in the direction of Prince John. "Aha! See that, Roxas? They know who Robin is! You were right! Prince John _is_ the Infiltrator! He's going to get rid of Robin Hood!"

"All right, then," Roxas replied, readying his KeyStaff. "Let's get rid of _him_ instead and save everyone here the trouble of being under this baby's heels!"

"Not yet!" Sora hissed. "Prince John has to make his move first! We can't stop him until he makes his first move towards us! Remember what Donald and Goofy told us about 'meddling'? We can't move first until the enemy does! Yeah, it sucks, but we have to do it the way it's supposed to be done! I don't want to wait, but I'm gonna have to!"

"Naomé wouldn't want us to wait!" Countered Roxas. "She'd go after him!"

Sora gritted his teeth. "Yeah, but Naomé's not here, now is she? So, we're gonna do it this way and wait! Okay? We're just gonna wait for the enemy to make the first move, Roxas! Understood?"

Roxas also ground his teeth, but he nodded in grudging acknowledgement. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, he realized that Sora was right. They could be reacting prematurely, too…perhaps somebody else in Sherwood Forest was the Infiltrator, and Prince John was as much of a servant to this unknown person as the Sherriff was to him. _Where there's a Prince, there is a King or Queen or both…could this unnamed ruler be the _real_ Infiltrator?_

_Sherwood Forest - The East Path_

The outskirts of Nottingham Village had left Naomé's sights over an hour ago. In fact, they'd left her sights long before that, seeing as she had not turned her back since she last had told Roxas off from a distance. Her stony gray eyes were locked on the road ahead of her, directing her towards the peaks that were still slightly out of reach.

Naomé's grip on the thick oaken quarterstaff she'd taken with her from the Church of Divine Providence tightened in determination. She was going to prove herself, Keyblade or not, that she was the Second Keybearer and just as good, if not better than, Sora Kasasagi! Giving the staff a few experimental swings, Naomé smiled to herself in satisfaction at her developing skills. _I guess emulating Roxas's KeyStaff abilities back in Beast's Castle rubbed off more permanently on me than I thought,_ She thought. _I wonder if I will be able to save a World or two while Sora's busy saving this one?_

Feeling a shudder of newfound freedom course through her, Naomé sang a song that she'd learned from her mother during her childhood, the words resurfacing as clear as the afternoon sunlight filtering in from the trees above.

"_If I were a river of majestic blue,_

_A path I'd carve, so straight and true._

_And that straight path would carry me,_

_From forest deep to the mighty sea._

"_And if I were the mighty sea,_

_Rippled with waves so splendidly._

_With no one but myself to please,_

_I'd follow the wake of the pleasant breeze._

"_And if I were the pleasant breeze,_

_Free to move as fit to me._

_Forget the sea, to the land take me,_

_To wind and wander through the trees._

"_And if I were those noble trees,_

_Living like forest nobility._

_I'd cover the earth in shaded hues,_

_And turn the river a majestic blue._

"_And were I that river of majestic blue,_

_Of tranquil beauty, soothing and cool._

_Of many a mile of land I'd go through,_

_So I could flow my way back to you!_

"_My dearly beloved, I'll have you know,_

_It's my heart that tells me where to go._

_For wherever it is that I may roam,_

_I shall always find my way back home!"_

"I say, that was a lovely song, young lady! Kindly sing it again, will you please?"

Shocked at the sound of the cultured voice, Naomé stopped dead in her tracks and swirled in the direction of where she believed the voice to be coming from. She was amazed to find herself facing a noble-looking lion simply dressed like a peasant farmer, leaning casually against a rowan tree and smiling at her!

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Fairgrounds_

Robin marched proudly up to the royal box, trying his best not to throw his costume aside and reveal to Maid Marion that it was him. Smiling, Robin gave Prince John a deep bow, only to have the Prince wave him to stand.

"Excellent shooting today, sir. That was perhaps one of the best shots I have ever seen! Congratulations!" Prince John said, giving Robin a false smile.

True to his disguise, Robin reached out and grasped the lion Prince's paw and shook it heartily with both hands. "Thank you, your honor. Let me tell you that this is such an honor, being able to meet you face to face-"

Prince John cut Robin's little speech short and yanked his paw away. He gave the disguised outlaw an irritated glower, but only smiled that fake grin again and drew the sword he liked to carry at his side. "Kneel before me, sir, if you please."

Robin, who was too wrapped up in his victory and already imagining himself being kissed by Maid Marion, kneeled before the Prince and bowed his head. _Gotcha again, Prince John…_

"I hereby declare you the winner," Prince John began regally. Then, all of a sudden, he shifted the blade ever so slightly so that the tip of it caught a hold of Robin's shirt. His voice turned icy and his face froze in a mask of cold fury. "However, I also declare you…_the loser._"

To everyone's shock, the blade slipped back and then tore the costume away. Although Robin leaped back away from the blade, it was too late. The costume fell off of him, revealing him to be Robin Hood the fox, standing atop a pair of stilts with the clunky boots still attached to the bottom and wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Prince John gave Robin a wicked smile. "Seize him," He said casually to his guards as he pointed an airy claw at the outlaw fox.

The Sherriff allowed himself the pleasure of joining in the scuffle to capture Robin Hood. He, like several of the guards, took a few knocks from Robin, but strength in numbers finally brought the fox down. Letting his own grin of wicked pleasure cover his grizzled face, he bound Robin up from the base of the neck to just above his waist. "I've been waiting a long time to do this," He hissed in Robin's face as he roughly hauled his nemesis upright for all to see.

Sora looked around the field and noticed the looks of horror, despair, and hopelessness on the faces of the citizens of Nottingham. He sighed heavily as he suddenly realized that Prince John had gained a major victory in those few short seconds. Judging by the looks on the people's faces, Prince John had just stolen the last hopes of everyone in attendance…or, so he thought.

Roxas's teeth ground in rage. He caught a glance from Robin Hood and gave him a short, clipped nod, eerie crystal blue eyes blazing fury. Glancing at Sora, he frowned in disapproval when Sora shook his head in the negative, meaning that they were still to wait to act. Prince John had made _a_ move, but it was not _the_ move they were looking for.

The sight of the tied up Robin Hood made Prince John's smile become all the more cruel. "Your days of playing hero are over, Robin Hood. Now you will pay for your crimes! I pronounce a sentence upon you of sudden, instant, and even…_immediate_ death!"

_Sherwood Forest - The East Path_

"Why the face, young lady? Do I look that terrifying to you?"

Naomé was at a loss for words. The lion was a big, impressive fellow, built in such a way that it seemed he would tear his clothes to ribbons if he moved a muscle. She struggled to find the words to say, but was so overcome with awe and innate fear that she couldn't speak. How was she to know that this was not someone that would hurt her?

The lion stepped away from the tree and gave her a polite bow. "You have no need to fear of me. I will not harm you."

Finally, Naomé was able to get up the nerve to speak. "You are not terrifying, sir. I was just…caught off guard. I was not aware there was another in this forest besides me. It was a bit…startling to me, that is all." She smiled politely and responded to the bow with a respectful curtsy. "My name is Naomé Windom. May I ask what your name might be, sir?"

This brought a deep chuckle from the lion, who was still smiling at her. "My, my. What a lady!" He bowed to her again. "As for my name, you may surely have it. However, I only ask that if you return to the village outside of this forest, kindly keep it to yourself."

"Oh?" Naomé asked. "You wish not to be known? May I ask why?"

"Of course, and I will be more than happy to answer," Replied the lion. He straightened back up and boldly faced her. Naomé noticed that his eyes, a dark shade of golden amber, were trained upon her as he provided her with his response. "I am Richard, King of Sherwood Forest."

Although Naomé wanted to laugh, she clamped her teeth down on her tongue so as not to. If this really _was_ King Richard, then she was well-self-advised to keep her sarcastic nature in check. She wished not to test the waters and find herself being beheaded for impudence. "King Richard, are you? Pardon my suspiciousness, but how do I know that you are telling me the truth?"

"King Richard" gracefully extended a heavy paw towards her. "Please follow me back to my camp and you will see that I am. I give you my word that you will be free to leave or to stay once you have seen my camp. I will not hold a young lady against her will. 'Tis not my way."

Naomé was still suspicious, but instinct rose to the surface and prodded her to follow the majestic lion in spite of her apprehension. Taking the proffered paw, Naomé allowed "King Richard" to lead her down the path.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Fairgrounds_

"Long live King Richard!"

The defiant cry of Robin Hood to the face of Prince John rang out grandly over the Fairgrounds, echoing in the still air. When Maid Marion had pleaded for Robin's life, the Prince had acted concerned, only to turn around and state that "all traitors to this crown must die!"

Just as the Prince was about to respond, though, the citizens of Nottingham Village raised their voices, to a man, in echo to Robin's call. "Long live King Richard!"

That did it! Prince John leapt to his paws. "Enough! I am the King! I am, do you hear me? I am the King of Sherwood Forest!" He raised his voice in imperious anger. "Off with his head!" He thundered, pointing at Robin Hood.

The rhinoceros executioner came striding forward amidst the rumble of drums, bearing with him a massive double-headed axe. Locking its freezing stare on Robin's rebellious glower, the burly creature tested the axe in one meaty hand as it prepared to swing and take the fox's head off in one clean swing…

"No, wait!"

Pausing, everyone turned to regard Prince John, who had an evil grin on his face. "No, my friend. I just realized that I have in mind a more…_suitable_ punishment for you. Taking your head is too swift for my tastes in this instance. No, my friend, I have just thought of something even better. You took delight in stealing, did you? Well, then, let us see just how well you like it while you have something stolen from you…_your heart!_"

Sora and Roxas glanced sharply at one another. Was that it? Was that what they were looking for? Was that the signal of Roxas's instincts about Prince John being the Infiltrator being correct? They were about to move when they suddenly saw the Fairgrounds become covered with a rolling mist that was up to Roxas's knees, a deep gray smoke that roiled and churned upon itself as it covered all of Sherwood Forest.

Prince John leaned back in his throne, perfectly content with himself and the power he was about to unleash. "Robin, I would like for you to do me a favor. I'd like you to kindly stand there and wait for my friends to show up. I think that you'll be very happy to meet them. I also think that they will be just as happy to meet you, as well, seeing as you have such a strong heart that is filled with nothing but all that is good and honorable. Yes, I believe the Heartless will enjoy meeting you, Robin Hood…your heart shall make the perfect meal for them."

_Sherwood Forest - King Richard's Camp_

The camp of "King Richard" was a circle of tents with cooking fires and other men dressed like the regal lion were, squatting by hot stones and cooking various foods with a variety of smells. Some were baking hastily crafted breads, others were cooking their own stews of various foliage and herbs that grew nearby, even a few were cracking and crushing nuts and roots and making crude porridge out of it.

"How long have you been here?" Naomé asked "King Richard."

"About a fortnight," The lion replied as he brushed aside one of the flaps on the tent so Naomé could enter. "I have been watching my brother, Prince John."

This made Naomé became awed with wonder as she accepted his noble sweep of his paw to insist she enter the tent first. "You really _are_ King Richard then, aren't you?"

The lion laughed jovially at her words and face. "You doubted me, young lady?"

Naomé struggled to word herself carefully as she sat down on the ground. "Well…I'm new to these parts, so I don't know many people here. Besides, I'm _always_ careful when I meet someone new. I don't want to get myself caught in something that I can't get myself out of. I hope you can understand where I am coming from, Your Majesty. Safety is important when you're in a strange place."

"I do understand," King Richard replied. He noticed her sack of provisions. "Pardon my asking, but what might you have in that haversack?"

Willingly, Naomé handed her sack to the king. "Not much, I'm afraid. Just some food I took with me from the kitchens of the Church of Divine Providence. That and a couple small jugs of watered-down wine," She added as an afterthought.

"The Church of Divine Providence, you say? Is Friar Tuck still there?"

Naomé was amazed that King Richard knew of the Friar. "Yes, he most certainly is. Do you know him well, King Richard?"

"Please, just Richard," King Richard replied, emphasizing the remark with an imperial flick of his wrist and mighty paw. "The King part isn't necessary right now. Until I am back on the throne of England, revealed to all as myself, my title isn't necessary. By the way, I forgot what your name and title are, my fair young vixen."

Naomé smiled and gave King Richard a polite nod. "Naomé Windom. I am the Second Keybearer of Kingdom Hearts."

King Richard smiled in return. "Hmmm…the 'Second Keybearer,' are you? I know the legend of the Keybearers, and of the legacy of the legendary Windoms, as well. You must be the second to the Master of the Keyblade, Sora Kasasagi."

"You know who he is?" Naomé gasped. "But, he's never been here before!" _Could King Richard be the Guardian to Sherwood Forest? It certainly wouldn't surprise me if he was! I would immediately guess that a Guardian would know Sora's name and rightful title!_

"Everyone that holds a position of power in Kingdom Hearts knows the story of Sora," The king replied. "He was imprisoned ten years ago, you know."

"Not any longer," Replied Naomé. "Sora is free, and _I_ was the one that freed him. And now, I am helping him fight to complete his destiny of Sealing Kingdom Hearts for good so he can return to his rightful home."

King Richard nodded. "That's very good. I have heard that he has fought many a hard battle against the Darkness. To take on forces that daunting takes a great deal of courage and patience. He has faced a losing battle these last several years. I hope that I will have the chance to meet him."

Naomé shrugged. "You just might do that."

"I believe I will, Naomé," King Richard said as he pulled out the flasks of watered-down wine from the sack, along with various other provisions Naomé had carried with her. "Hmmm…you packed yourself quite a suitable spread for the next few days. Might I partake in a slight luncheon with you?"

"May it so please Your Majesty," Naomé replied. "Who am I to disagree?"

This brought another laugh from King Richard. "I like your manners, young Windom! Make yourself a guest here in my camp for as long as you wish! Now, kindly hand me that pot next to you…yes, that's the one! I'm going to pour some of this wine into the pot, and then gather some wood for a decent fire while you so kindly chop and peel those vegetables and catch a couple fish from the nearby river for our meal. I'm going to teach you how to make the most delicious herb and vegetable soup that you have possibly ever tasted _and_ show you just how to spit and roast a fish to perfection!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Fairgrounds_

Sora batted the guards that were holding Robin captive away with a few wild sweeps of his Keyblade. KazeRyu, who'd just caught up with Sora and Roxas, held the Sherriff at sword point and threatened to disembowel him if he didn't release Robin Hood from his bindings. And as for Roxas, he'd taken it upon himself to hold Prince John hostage in his throne by pinning him into it with his KeyStaff planted in a firm diagonal grip across his chest, thereby trapping his sword paw down into the armrest.

Prince John bared his fangs in a wicked gesture. "So, _Master of the Keyblade_, you decided to show up and help out, did you? You would've been much the wiser to stay out of my way."

"Silence, you," Roxas hissed, tightening his grip on the prince. "You have no power…you're just a _deputy_ until your big brother comes home!"

"Don't you tell _me_ what to do, raccoon!" The Prince snarled. "And unhand me!"

"Forget it," Roxas replied in a likewise tone. "You aren't going _anywhere!_"

"Never mind, Roxas!" Sora called over to the royal box. "We've got company!"

Roxas knew what Sora meant by _company._ He could already see the various types of Heartless appearing out of the mists. Crushing Prince John until he choked, Roxas growled menacingly into the prince's ear. "Call your Heartless pets off, _Your Highness,_ or else _you're_ gonna be the one that they'll be feeding off of! Now, _call them off!_"

Prince John signaled n a jerky motion for the Heartless to stop their advance. Oddly enough, the shadowy creatures complied, stopping about five feet away from the tiny group that was in the middle of the arena, leaving them totally surrounded of a group that was at least five to six Heartless deep.

Robin glanced about nervously. "Sora, what are those disgusting little things, and what are they doing here?"

"They're called Heartless, Robin, and you don't wanna mess with them," Sora replied. "What the Prince told you was right…these little buggers _love_ preying on the hearts of all, and they _especially_ enjoy devouring hearts of notable strength and Light, as it grants them the most power. As for why they're here, Prince John is associated with an organization known as the Infiltrators, a group of really nasty bad guys that want to take over _all_ of the Worlds of Kingdom Hearts and annihilate any and all traces of Light and good that exist."

This brought a snort from Robin. "I always knew Prince John was up to no good, but _this?_" He frowned darkly. "What's happening now is something that I'd _never_ give thought to. Him? Taking orders from somebody else? _Please!_"

"If you want power, you'll do whatever it takes to get it," The Master of the Keyblade gritted as he tightened his grip on his Keyblade in preparation for a fight. "Even if it means you have to swallow your pride and take orders from somebody else for a time, you'll do it. That's what I've learned about the Infiltrators: they're all control freaks that are willing to choke back their lordly natures to be able to gain immeasurable levels of power, and that includes control over the Heartless."

"Well, I'll give Prince John a lesson or two in _control,_" Robin growled. "Give me a sword, and we'll see just who _exactly_ is in control by the time I'm done with that _cub!_"

"All in good time, Robin Hood, all in good time," Sora said soothingly. "We'll get you the sword, but use it to escape with your pretty little vixen girlfriend Maid Marion back to your campsite and leave the Heartless to Roxas, KazeRyu and I. We can _all_ deal with Prince John at a later time."

The moment Prince John had mentioned about having Robin's heart devoured by the Heartless, Roxas knew that he and Sora had discovered the Infiltrator. He knew he'd taken a risk when he'd captured the Prince in a pin between his KeyStaff, the throne, and himself, but he knew that it was the only way to get the Prince to cooperate with his demands. Now that Robin was free, on the other hand, Roxas could now focus on getting the outlaw out of the Fairgrounds and safely back to Sherwood Forest!

Growling in the face of the wolf guardsman that came charging up the steps, Roxas hurled Prince John down the steps of the royal box, the point of the spear just narrowly missing the Prince's robes and screaming past his left armpit and coming to rest with a heavy _THUD!_ in the rafter supporting the roof of the box. Turning to Maid Marion, Roxas issued a direct order. "Quickly, Marion! Follow me!"

"But, what about Robin, Sir Roxas?" Maid Marion asked.

Roxas was amused by Marion's use of his assumed knightly title, and he realized that this would be the only way to get her to trust his judgment. "Do not worry about Robin, Milady. My friend Sir Sora will take good care of him."

"The squirrel? I thought he was-"

"Sir Quentin was just an alias, Milady, a way to hide his identity in much the same way your beloved Robin did in so disguising himself as a farmer. We must get you to safety first before anything else. Please, Milady, follow me and do make haste!"

Maid Marion didn't know what else to do besides trust Roxas's judgment. Allowing him to take her hand, she let the raccoon Master of the KeyStaff lead her away from the royal box and the melee in the arena. She noticed Roxas catch Robin's gaze for but a moment, Roxas's nod of reassurance, and Robin's own silent acknowledgment. Then, before she could even flash Robin a smile, Roxas gave a brief but urgent squeeze of her hand to urge her to flee with him.

_Robin…please be careful!_

Sora had seen Roxas escorting Maid Marion away from the arena. _Smart decision, Roxas,_ he mentally congratulated his friend and fellow Warrior of the Keyblade. _Keep Marion safe from the Heartless. She may not be a Princess of the Heart, but she is still threatened by Prince John's presence, and especially since she's already spoken aloud her love for Robin Hood!_

Little John had gotten himself involved in the fight, taking the pole from a tent that'd collapsed when Robin had hurled two wolf guardsmen into the structure by a clever trick and using it as a quarterstaff much in the way Roxas would use the KeyStaff. Striking the two guards low, Little John pole-vaulted himself over a rhinoceros guard and gave them a hefty kick between the shoulders, making them grunt in pain and stumble forward a couple steps. Without looking back, the bear cohort of Robin Hood jumped into a pile of wolves and began beating them about with the pole.

Robin, meanwhile, had snuck off after Roxas and Maid Marion, ever careful to avoid trouble. He shifted the sword he'd stolen from Prince John when the Prince had made his clumsy fall from the royal box due to Roxas's shoving him back and forth from hand to hand, almost as if he were expecting to be ambushed at any given moment. _If only I could find Marion…we would be away from here and back at my hideout in a heartbeat!_

Unfortunately, Robin's wish was not meant to come true at that moment. Just as he rounded a corner, he found himself face-to-face with an Armored Knight Heartless, and with its sword pointed straight at his heart!

"_Eeeeyaaarrr!_"

Sora let loose with a wild scream, throwing himself headlong into a charging rhinoceros that was wielding a hefty battleaxe. Howling the battle cry again, he swung the Kingdom Key Keyblade so that its head went through the opening in the axe blade and brought it back towards him, causing the head of the weapon to lock with the opening and yank the axe right out of the beast's hand. With a powerful sweep of his fabled weapon, Sora flung the battleaxe away from him if it were a mere toy, sending it swirling end on end into a throng of Shadows that were sneaking up on him and tearing them to pieces.

"Well done, Keyblade Master!" KazeRyu called back over his shoulder as he tangled with two Armored Knights. With a couple quick skirmishing motions of SaigaSama, he sent their weapons flying out of their hands and into other foes much in the same manner Sora had. Snarling, he cut both enemies down with two swift strokes before whirling around to block the swing of a third Heartless of the same species. "Curses! Do these things ever stop coming?"

"Not until we get away from them, they won't," Sora replied as he went whirling into a gathering of Soldiers, his Keyblade circling around him like a scythe as he pivoted gracefully on one foot. He swiftly moved about, shifting from one foot to the other and pivoting like a top, Keyblade gleaming in the afternoon sunlight like silver-and-gold lightning, his tail flicking about him like a furred cloak.

_This would be an excellent time to have Naomé around,_ Sora thought as he found himself skillfully leaping atop a rhino's pikestaff and vaulting across so that he could take to the roofs of the tents so as to get a better view of the Fairgrounds and be able to catch his breath for even a few moments. _Her emulation powers would've been a big help in this mess…it would've been nice to have one of those knight-like Heartless on my side…_

Robin deftly dodged a vicious attack by the Armored Knight, then retaliated with his own wicked slash that came across his body from left knee to right shoulder as he leaped up into the air. He twisted to one side as the Heartless's sword came singing past his side, scoring a thin break in the weave of his tunic.

A staff-like weapon came hurtling out of nowhere, slicing the Armored Knight in two half-Armored Knights. Then, as Robin Hood watched, the weapon vanished into thin air!

"Like my trick, Robin?"

Spooked, Robin whirled around to find Roxas magically recalling his KeyStaff to his hand, a deft smile of confidence on his face. Robin smiled. "Roxas! Where in the name of Kingdom Hearts have you been, boy? Where's Naomé?"

"She's back at the Church of Divine Providence, recovering from a back injury," Roxas replied. "She threw her back out when she saved me from being crushed by Prince John's carriage yesterday. Oh, speaking of women, I've got someone who's very happy to see you."

Robin's smile broadened as he saw Maid Marion come out from her hiding place, which was a tent that Roxas was standing next to. "Marion! You're all right!"

Maid Marion smiled back. "Oh, Robin! You're safe! I was so worried about you!"

Roxas gave Marion a gentle nudge. "If you were that worried, Milady, then why don't you go to him? Robin has been just as worried about you as you have about him." He grinned when she gave him a shocked expression. "Go on, Milady! Go to your hero!"

"Hold on a moment, Robin," Maid Marion said as she saw Robin step towards her. Turning, she gave Roxas a grateful peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Sir Roxas."

"You're most welcome, Milady," Roxas replied, embarrassed. "But, hold on a second, Milady! I didn't win the archery tournament! _Robin Hood did!_"

"I know," Marion said. "But, I felt I should thank you somehow."

Roxas tried to cover up the fact that he was starting to blush. "Well…uh…that was quite noble of you, Milady Marion. You didn't have to thank me that way. The spoken thanks would've been more than enough." He bowed politely to her and Robin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to help Sora and KazeRyu get rid of the Heartless, then I must return to the Church of Divine Providence to check in on Naomé and see how her back is doing. I strongly suggest that you take Little John and Milady Marion back to the safety of your hideout. Good luck!"

"Thank you, Roxas," Robin said gratefully. "I hope you will join everyone back at my hideout for a celebration of my victory today at the archery tournament. It would not be a party without you there, my friend."

"We'll see, depending on how Naomé's back is. She may need me to work the kinks out of her back again. She was in quite a bit of pain when I left her at the church."

Robin was amazed. "You left her back at the church? Aren't you concerned she might try to come here to help out? I mean, she _did_ seem like the warrior type when I met her yesterday."

"If she does, I'm going to drag her back to the church and tie her down!" Roxas growled. "I worked too hard on her back, and I don't want her screwing it up!"

"All right. Hope you can make it, though."

"I'll try. No promises."

KazeRyu bull-rushed a small flock of Rapid Thrusters, SaigaSama batting away at them as they tried to peck and poke at his fur and clothing. When it seemed that his sword was not going to do much good against the flitting little Heartless, he sheathed his weapon and dove in with fangs and talons flashing and swiping. Heartless squealed as his wild attacks hit their marks, several of the already damaged creatures being tossed like missiles into their brethren, smashing and disappearing in flashes of soot-like smoke.

"Wow, Kaze!" Sora said. "I never thought I'd see you fight dirty! Way to go!"

"Thanks!" KazeRyu replied around a mouthful of Rapid Thruster. He spat it out and wiped his muzzle on his sleeve. "_Eeyuck!_ Heartless taste _awful!_"

Sora laughed like he hadn't in a while, taking his Keyblade to a Soldier and destroying it. He ducked an attack from an Armored Knight, and then leaped up into the air and raked it apart with the head of the Kingdom Key Keyblade by turning it on its side and slicing straight up with it instead of swinging across. "Hey! I should use that trick more often!"

"Keep it in mind when you need it," KazeRyu instructed him. "It will serve you well when think you have run out of options. That is how I mastered SaigaSama: by making mistakes and discovering new tricks by pure accident. That is how most of the most powerful skills are learned, Keyblade Master: purely by accident."

"Well, I guess I should make accidents more often," Sora said. He laughed as he allowed himself to make a boast. "I'll be the best Keyblade Master that ever lived!"

KazeRyu smiled and shook his head. _Humans, no matter what form they take, are very strange creatures…I must take the time to get to know them better…especially the three I hang around with…_

Prince John knew by looking around him that he no longer held the advantage in the day's battle. Scrambling to his paws, he fled the scene, stumbling about until he found himself quite lost in the Fairgrounds.

Panting, the cub-Prince looked around, eyes wide in terror. He'd lost his sword when Roxas had thrown him down the stairs leading to the royal box, and he'd seen that Robin Hood had taken it up in defense of himself and the people of Nottingham. Now, left with only his teeth and claws as his protection, he was left out in the open. He'd never truly been in a fight, mostly because he hid behind his mother when danger arose, and now he was sorely regretting that he'd never truly tried to stand up for himself. He didn't have his mother or his brother to protect him, and it was terrifying.

"Hiss! Hiss, where are you, fool? You're never around when I need you! Come out from wherever it is you're hiding, you spineless worm!"

"Somebody! Anybody! Help me out of here! Is somebody there? Help!"

Puzzled, Prince John head the voice of Sir Hiss echoing out of a nearby barrel of ale. Frowning at the thought that his serpentine servant was too busy baring his scaly nose in a oaken barrel and drinking himself to the point of unconsciousness, he yanked the stopper out of the tap, reached into the barrel, and unceremoniously pulled Sir Hiss out. The snake was hiccupping and drowsy, two obvious signs of his being roaring drunk.

"Oh, thank you," Sir Hiss said woozily, his movements being so uncoordinated that he nearly toppled over like a limp piece of string in Prince John's hand. However, in a sudden moment of clarity, Hiss was able to recognize his sovereign's fierce and irritated scowl, and he immediately brightened up. "Oh, Sire! Good to see you! You won't believe what I'm about to tell you! The stork farmer from Devonshire is Robin Hood!"

This revelation made Prince John's temper boil. "Robin Hood, eh?"

"Yes! Yes!" Sir Hiss cried excitedly. "Yes, Sire, yes! The stork is Robin Hood!"

"_Robin Hood?_" Prince John hissed.

Sir Hiss nodded drunkenly.

With the ear-piercing screech of a wildcat, Prince John twirled Sir Hiss's virtually flabby form around a nearby tent pole and tied him in a triple knot. The snake, who was still suffering from too much drink, couldn't handle the strain, and his stomach vomited its contents to the grass below him. Gagging and choking, he looked up to see Prince John glowering at him.

Prince John leaned in close to Hiss's face, fangs bared in fury. "There, Hiss. Try getting your stupor-plagued brain out of _that_ one, if you can," He snarled.

Groaning, Sir Hiss began struggling against the knot he'd been tied into as the Prince stomped angrily away. He knew it was going to be a while before he'd be able to get back to the castle, and he also knew he was going to have a _wicked_ hangover the next morning. As he felt the last knot he'd been tied into give way, he irritably began cursing his fate. _Whatever did I do to get myself into this?_


	32. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Desperate Measures

_Two Weeks Later_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Church of Divine Providence - Infirmary_

Roxas stared worriedly up at the ceiling, his mind buzzing with concern. He was _extremely_ worried about Naomé and where she was. She'd been missing for a couple weeks now, and there was no sign of her or where she might be headed anywhere within the extent of Sherwood Forest that he knew of.

Sighing heavily, Roxas turned over on his side and watched as the window streaked with rivulets of teardrops that cascaded down like a trickling waterfall. It'd rained like this for two days now, and it only made his depression worse. With the weather being _this_ nasty out, it was impossible for him to go and try to track Naomé down. The only place left for him to explore was the path that lead out behind and beyond the church's backmost boundaries, the path that lead into the easternmost reaches of Sherwood Forest, and it looked to him like he wasn't going to be able to anytime soon.

As the rain tumbled down before his eyes, Roxas felt his heart grow heavy and pained with fear. What if, while he'd been at the fair a couple weeks ago, the Sherriff had come to pay the church another call and discovered Naomé waiting here in the Infirmary while searching for Friar Tuck? Surely Price John would've told the Sherriff about being robbed by Robin Hood and Little John. Perhaps he'd seen him and Naomé when they'd escaped from beneath his crashing carriage, and he'd told the Sherriff what they'd looked like?

Roxas knew that the Sherriff must've recognized him at the fair, but things had been so chaotic due to Robin's escape that he wouldn't have been able to catch him. But, this made Roxas worry even more. He was safe by chance, but what about Naomé? Had he arrested _her_ instead? She would've been a pretty easy catch, considering that she didn't have any fighting skills, not to mention she was injured from her rescuing him. Was Naomé in the dungeons at Prince John's castle, waiting to have whatever punishment the childish Prince cooked up for her brought down upon her head? Was she wondering if anybody would ever come to save her?

_KA-BANG!_

A sudden explosion that rocked the Infirmary made Roxas sit bolt upright. Thinking that it was the Sherriff, he prepared to call his KeyStaff to his hands, only to see that there was no need for it.

Standing in the doorway before him was a golden-blonde vixen, her clothes sticking to her wet body from her walking in the rain, her agate gray eyes glaring angrily at him from beneath her denim jacket that she'd flung over her head as a makeshift umbrella, her boots covered in mud, and an oaken quarterstaff in her left hand.

She flung the staff down onto the bed across from Roxas's with a loud _SMACK!_ and tossed her jacket onto the stone floor with a heavy _SPLAT!_ Then, angrily, she crashed down onto the bed, folded her arms across her chest and addressed Roxas curtly. "Hello, raccoon. Miss me much?"

Roxas felt his heart race. He was so shocked that he could barely speak.

"_Naomé?_"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Throne Room_

_Clink, clink, clink…clink, clink, clink…_

Sir Hiss was "shuffling" his tail through a stack of gold coins. He gave Prince John a great big smile. "Look, Sire! The newest batch of taxes just came in! Look at all of them! I know it isn't as big as the piles that first came in, but it's still a pretty good amount!"

Prince John glowered angrily at the coins. "Yes, Hiss, it _is_ smaller than usual." Then, his voice rose to an explosive pitch. "_All because that cursed _Robin Hood_ caught the caravan halfway here and stole one of the bloody chests!_"

The roar made Sir Hiss recoil in terror beneath his coils. Stuttering, the serpentine advisor slowly raised himself back up to a somewhat normal height for him to situate himself comfortably at. "N-n-now, S-s-sire, p-p-p-please don't upset yourself. You've only just gotten over that nasty bump on the head you got at the fair when that raccoon threw you down the stairs of the royal box. We don't want to go and get ourselves a headache, now do we?"

"_I am perfectly fine!_" Prince John screeched, his right foot stamping furiously on the stone floor. However, he'd smashed it down so hard that he'd made it go numb from the shock of the contact, and he promptly crashed into the throne. Grimacing in pain, Prince John sucked at his sore toes. "And I _don't_ have a headache!" He snapped.

"But, Sire, if you raise your blood pressure, then you _shall_ have one."

"To heck with my blood pressure! The doctor said I was fine yesterday morning!"

"Ah, but that was yesterday."

"Who cares? _I_ don't!" Prince John let his foot drop back to the floor. He glowered angrily at Sir Hiss. "Go and find someplace for you to scratch that skin of yours off! It looks like you're about ready to start shedding any minute, and I _don't_ want your horrid, scaly remains tainting my gold! Out!"

Sir Hiss was quite annoyed. Tossing his nose huffily into the air, he began slithering away into the interior of the castle. "Very well, Sire. However, just for that, I shall _intentionally_ leave my horrid, scaly remains in the middle of your _bed!_"

"You'll do no such thing! That is, if you don't want to discover just how tasty serpent stew can be! And _you'll_ be the one on the menu!"

This unnerved the snake, who began slinking off with a disarming smile towards the irate Prince. "Sire, you wouldn't want to eat _me._ I'm not any good to eat! I'd be so dirty from crawling around in the dust that the cook could _never_ get it all out of my scales, and that would make the soup _completely awful!_ No, Sire, you should stick to eating roast pheasant. That has a _much_ better flavor than some mangy, gamy old snake like myself."

"I had pheasant last night," Prince John replied, rubbing his paws together and smiling in such a way that his fangs were bared. "It's high time I attempt to discover a new dish that would satisfy the delicate tastes of my palate. I've had fish, fowl, fruit, and vegetable alike…why not reptile? I would imagine the texture would be _most_ exquisite. All you would need is a little buttering up."

This final remark made Sir Hiss lose all nerve whatsoever. With a hiss of terror, he fled down the corridor and to his chambers. He gave the guard that was standing by his door a strict and panicky order. "Lock the door behind me! His Majesty is having a craving for snake, and I don't want to be the one to satisfy his appetite!"

Before the guard could answer, Sir Hiss dove in through the slightly ajar door and scrambled his way into his bed. Wrapping himself tightly about the bedpost, he didn't allow himself to relax until he heard the reassuring _CLICK!_ of the lock on his door, meaning that he was safe from harm…

…For now, anyway…

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Church of Divine Providence - Infirmary_

Roxas was delighted and filled with relief. _She's all right!_ "Naomé! I was so worried about you! Where have you been, woman? I thought the Sherriff had arrested you for stealing from Prince John a couple weeks ago and had thrown you into the dungeons to rot! Where did you go, anyhow? Tell me, Naomé! Oh, tell me right now!"

He got up to embrace her, only to have Naomé growl and roughly shove him away. When he went to ask her what was wrong, she bared her fangs in irritation, her eyes narrowed, and her ears flattened back against the sides of her head in a blatant show of aggression. Roxas tried to talk to her again, only to have Naomé jump to her feet and shove him in the chest as hard as she could, making the backs of his knees contact with the edge of his bed, sending him crashing back down into the mattress and soundly bonk the back of the top of his head against the windowsill and making him see stars.

"Don't touch me," Naomé snarled, sitting back down on her bed.

Groaning, Roxas sat up, his hand rubbing ruefully at the back of his head. He stared in shock at his friend. "Ouch…! Naomé! What was that for? What did I do?"

Naomé hunched her shoulders up, her still-flattened ears resting on the tops of them. "For what you did a couple weeks ago," She hissed. "I'm still angry with you. I was _hoping_ you _weren't _here, Roxas…I didn't feel like dealing with you."

This remark made Roxas angry. His raccoon markings made the irritated scowl on his face even more fierce as he confronted Naomé. "You didn't feel like having to deal with me, did you? You're still angry with me, are you? Whatever for, _vixen?_"

"You treated me like a child."

"And when, may I ask, did I do that?"

Naomé imitated Roxas's angry scowl. "Back when you went to have _fun_ at the fair and left me here! And _what_ was the big idea of locking me in? Didn't you trust me?"

"Hey, I felt I had to do what I had to!" Roxas fired back, pointing accusingly at the Second Keybearer. "You kept trying to get out of bed! I didn't want you to try and go down the stairs that are just outside here and fall and get hurt because your back collapsed on you all of a sudden! You could've broken your neck! I locked the door to _protect you!_"

"You _locked me in!_" Naomé yelled. "You _yelled_ at me and treated me like a _baby!_"

"You weren't listening to me! You were being too busy being stubborn! If you'd just shut up and had listened for a few minutes instead of trying to cut me off, then I might not have locked the door on you, and we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"I was _not_ being stubborn! I wanted to help, and _you_ wouldn't let me!"

Roxas was becoming _very_ aggravated. Just as Naomé had bared her fangs at him, so he proceeded to throw the aggression right back at her. "Your back was still messed up! I wasn't about to let you go and screw up all the work I'd put into it all morning just so you could turn around and make it all for nothing! If there's one thing I hate, it's when people wreck all the hard work you've put into something!"

"Nothing's perfect!"

"True, but anything can be kept close to perfect as long as precautions are taken! And one of the precautions I took was making sure you didn't try to escape! Obviously, it didn't work, seeing as you _ran away_ and didn't tell anyone where you were going!"

Naomé leaped to her feet and stood toe-to-toe with Roxas, their noses almost touching due to Roxas being so much taller than her. "And what if I didn't want anybody coming after me and dragging me back to my room like some little baby? You're _not_ my father, Roxas Avalon, and I'm not some pathetic invalid! I can take care of myself! Take a look at the last couple weeks, why don't you? I'm right here before you, safe and sound, and I'm _perfectly fine!_"

"That may be true, but what if you'd run into the Heartless? Or the Nobodies? You don't have a Keyblade or any other kind of weapon that uses Keyblades to protect you, Naomé! You could've been seriously injured, much more than just a thrown-out back! You could've even been _killed!_ You need to stay put when someone tells you to! You can't just go wandering off on your own! It's too dangerous!"

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"Not here, you're not!" Roxas snapped, grabbing Naomé by her arms and slamming her back into the Infirmary door. "Naomé, listen to me! This isn't the Key Islands! This is _Kingdom Hearts!_ Kingdom Hearts is a _much_ more dangerous place than anywhere back in your home World! The bullies you faced back home are _nothing_ compared to the Heartless and Nobodies! The forces of the Darkness are stronger than _any_ street fighting master! Without a Keyblade or other sort of weapon, you're defenseless! That's why I told you to stay here and wait for me, Naomé! I was trying to keep you safe because I wouldn't be here to protect you in case something happened!"

"And what if those vermin got in through the window, or from under the door?" Naomé retorted. "You locked me in! You only made me _more_ vulnerable because I didn't have any way to escape if I _did_ get in danger! How would I be able to defend myself in such a small space? Use your head, you retarded numbskull! You were trying to keep me _out_ of danger, and instead you put me in even _more_ danger!"

"I realize that now," Roxas said, trying to get his temper back under control. He momentarily tightened his grip on Naomé's arms. "I thought about that after the fact that you'd already run away. I realized that instead of trying to protect you and keep you safe, I had instead threatened your safety and had left you vulnerable. That was wrong of me, and I'm sorry. I felt it was my responsibility to protect you since Sora and KazeRyu weren't with us."

He gently laid a finger on Naomé's lips when she tried to protest. "I know what you're going to say: you're going to tell me that you don't need a babysitter, that you don't need protection, that you don't need anybody watching your back. I needn't worry so much about you. Believe me, I once thought as you are right now. But, you know what? All of that changed when I had someone that I cared about very, very deeply taken away from me forever. It happened because, for some reason, Organization XIII was, and I'm guessing still is, after me. I don't know why and whatever for, but they were, and they probably still are."

"What does that have to do with that special person?"

"Everything. You see, to try and get me to come to them instead of them having to chase me down, they kidnapped that special person and they…" Roxas struggled to get the words out, the overpowering strength of his emotions choking him. "…they killed her. They killed that dearly beloved friend of mine, all because she wouldn't tell them where I was, and I wouldn't show myself. I'd vowed to protect her, and I broke my promise. I've held myself responsible for that for all of these years, and I realize now I let it make me become overprotective of you. I allowed it to cloud my judgment. I'm sorry, Naomé…I was wrong, you were right…I treated you like a child. I'm really sorry."

Naomé realized with astonishing clarity that Roxas had only been trying to do what he'd felt was right. She'd gotten angry at him, worried him, all for nothing! She felt awful when she saw the tears that were now shining in Roxas's eyes, the pain and regret that was stamped upon his furred features. She could feel him shaking with grief from his still gripping her arms in his taloned hands, the blunt little claws just barely digging into her skin. He'd only tried to help her…she had no right to be so hostile towards him. It wasn't his fault…he'd been only trying to prevent history from repeating itself.

A similar stab of pain and regret stabbed at Naomé's heart. Her own emotions began to choke her, her normally cold, distant, unemotional self starting to crumble. Gently reaching up and taking a hold of Roxas's wrists in her hands, she looked up at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry," She whispered. "I will never run away again…I promise."

Roxas couldn't contain his emotions any longer. Despite how awkward he knew Naomé would feel if he did what he wanted to, he let a muffled sob escape him as he grabbed her and yanked her close in a tight embrace. He flinched for a moment as he felt Naomé return the hug, as well as heard her own choked cry. He pulled her closer to him, taking comfort in his being so close to her. She was soaking wet, but he didn't care. He just needed to be held.

Naomé knew exactly what Roxas was thinking, and she knew that she, too, needed to be comforted. Although she felt like a total idiot, she hugged Roxas even tighter, her tears streaming down her face and making his shoulder damp. All she could do was whisper "I'm sorry" one last time before both her and Roxas broke down in tears.

_Later that Evening_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Church of Divine Providence - Sanctuary_

Friar Tuck stood from his position before the altar, concluding his evening prayers. He looked respectfully at the effigy of Kingdom Hearts, touching his heart with his right hand and bowing in reverent piety to his patron deity from the waist up. Standing back up, he smiled and admired the beautiful symbol, the symbol of the World he loved.

The representation of Kingdom Hearts was truly beautiful to behold. Two hearts, one amethyst purple and the other opal white, were set on top of one another, the point of the amethyst heart just touching the center of the opal white one. Two yellow gold ribbons were placed behind them, forming another heart that connected up next to the amethyst, wound behind both hearts to come along the bottom outside edge of the opal white heart into an almost swirling-wind-like pattern. Lastly, the holy symbol was set atop a silver four-pointed star that had the bottommost point elongated down below.

"I didn't notice that before. What is that?"

Glancing behind his shoulder, Friar Tuck noticed that Roxas and Naomé were both standing at the far end of the pews, having just come down from the Infirmary upstairs. Both raccoon and fox were staring intently at the image of Kingdom Hearts with nearly matched looks of confusion. He gave them both a proud smile and extended his hand back towards the effigy. "This, my young friends, is the symbol of Kingdom Hearts, The Mother of All Worlds, The Resplendent Lady of the Light, and The Guardian of All Hearts."

"Kingdom Hearts is a _female_ deity?" Naomé asked.

"Yes, Naomé, _She_ is. To those of us of the religious profession, Kingdom Hearts is the holiest of any and all deities that exist within Her realm. Yes, various Worlds have their own pantheons and patron saints and holy Lords and Ladies, but Kingdom Hearts is revered by all as the greatest one of all. None is more powerful than Kingdom Hearts."

Roxas smirked. "Ho boy…wait until we tell Sora that he's fighting a holy war_. That's_ gonna go over _really well _with him. Heaven versus the Underworld, and he's the strongest champion of the cause…he's _not_ gonna like that…"

Naomé sniggered and gave Roxas a playful shove. "Stop that, Roxas! Show some respect! Besides, you, KazeRyu, and I are helping Sora fight! That means _we're_ fighting the same holy war, as well!"

"Yeah, but that means the Keyblade and the KeyStaff are _holy_ weapons, Naomé. Sora, and I are technically paladins of the Light."

"The KeyStaff?" Friar Tuck asked. "I have heard about the Keyblade weapons. You are correct, Roxas: any weapon that is a Keyblade, uses Keyblades, or has the properties of a Keyblade, which are the ability to Seal a World's Heart from Darkness and destroy the servants of the Never-Ending Night, is a holy weapon." He smiled again. "Roxas, may I see your weapon? Please? I have always wanted to see a Keyblade!"

Shrugging, Roxas looked at Naomé. "I suppose so, Friar. It won't hurt any." Extending his right hand before him, he magically Summoned the KeyStaff from its hidden location and held it out to the Friar for inspection.

Friar Tuck's eyes were wide in awe as he took the weapon into his hands. "My, my, my! This is a beautiful weapon! We of the religious don't really covet or prize weapons, but I can see this is truly capable of protecting Kingdom Hearts from the Darkness!" He gasped as the weapon magically disappeared and reappeared in Roxas's hands. "Oh, my goodness! What was that?"

"That's the beauty of any Keyblade weapon," Roxas replied with a sly smile of his own. "It shares a special bond with its master or mistress's heart. Should the weapon be separated from them aside from the wielder being dead, the Keyblade will magically return to their possession, regardless of the distance. I've used that trick several times to destroy enemies from far away, and it works rather well."

"Care to show me a little demonstration?" Friar Tuck asked, eyes sparkling.

"Erm…"

Naomé gave Roxas another playful shove. "Oh, go on, Roxas! Let's see you use the KeyStaff! Surely there was something you used to do to practice!"

Roxas gave Naomé an icy glower. "I don't go for showing off. That kind of power and skill isn't some flashy stunt show for others to enjoy, Naomé."

"Would you do it for me?" Naomé pleaded, giving Roxas a shy grin. "Please?"

"All right, Naomé. You've convinced me," Roxas replied, taking his weapon and heading towards the platform the altar was on. He glanced back over his shoulder with one eerie crystal blue eye at the Second Keybearer. "Remember, I won't do this for just anybody, Naomé."

Naomé found herself wondering just exactly what Roxas was going to do. Surely he was going to do more than just toss his KeyStaff and catch it! What would be the point of her pleading with him if all he was going to do was a few little baby tosses?

Roxas finally mounted the final step onto the platform. He gave the image of Kingdom Hearts's holy symbol a respectful bow, took a deep breath and let it out, and then began his demonstration. Taking the KeyStaff easily in both hands, he gave it a strong but swift upward sweep that came from his left side, then brought his weapon in a deft twirl above his head before bringing it back down behind him. Taking the KeyStaff in his left hand, he whirled it around from behind his back and took it up into another whirl over his head, the central grip of his weapon rotating around his wrist as he grabbed the grip of Oblivion with his right hand so as to gain control of the KeyStaff with both hands again.

Amazed, Naomé stared as Roxas returned to the neutral position, which was both hands holding the grips on Oathkeeper and Oblivion, only to sweep low to the ground and slide his control towards the Oathkeeper end of the KeyStaff and whirl it around him as if he were wielding a spear. Jumping up into the air, he took both hands to the center of the KeyStaff and did a nasty upward slash from his right side, pivoted in midair, and then landed facing in the opposite direction as he brought the KeyStaff thundering down in a audibly whistling arc that would've been an overhead strike against an opponent. The key-like head of Oblivion struck the stone floor with a heavy metallic _KRANG!_, the signal that he would've knocked his foe down, possibly even sliced them in half.

Suddenly, Roxas picked up the tempo of his presentation. Instead of standing, he thrust the KeyStaff back behind him like chain lightning, skillfully catching one of the candelabras in Oathkeeper's grasp. With a powerful flick, he sent the empty candelabra spinning into the air like a yo-yo that was sleeping at the end of its string. Snatching it in mid-circle with Oblivion, Roxas gave the KeyStaff a deft twist in his hands, reversing the candelabra's gyrations and thus allowing him to be able to firmly put it back in its exact same spot. With the candelabra back in its rightful place, Roxas executed a powerful back flip, landing on his feet and then doing a sideways flip, rotating in mid-air much like he'd made the candelabra do seconds before. This time, however, he landed in an amazing handstand on top of the KeyStaff, only to exact a powerful one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn and bring himself down into a crouch on one knee.

A quick skirmishing motion allowed Roxas to use the centrifugal force of the Key Staff's weight to take a swirling jump that brought the weapon whirling around him much like an Aeroga would. He brought his weapon flashing around his body like a gold, black, and white tornado, swinging upwards, slashing downwards, whirling left and right, dropping and rolling into a forward somersault, flipping backwards both in mid-air and on the ground, and then firmly planted the end of Oblivion into a crack in the stone tiles and whipped himself around and around the KeyStaff like he were whirling around a pole. When he reached the right speed, he gave his body a powerful upward twist, freeing Oblivion from the floor so he could do an aerial tumble that allowed the KeyStaff to describe several lightning quick circles around him before he landed nimbly on his feet. He was only on them for a fraction of a second, as he then did a cartwheel that took him back towards the other side of the platform.

Turning in just the right angle so he could slyly tip Naomé a wink without her knowing it, he repeated the whirling twirl that would've brought him back into the air again, only this time to take the head of Oathkeeper to the floor and let his momentum carry him into a sweeping aerial arc. This time, when he landed, he began to whirl the KeyStaff in a blur around his wrists while walking backwards. In a surprising move, he swept the KeyStaff below his feet as he nimbly jumped over it, and then flipped it up and over his head in one fluid motion. His feet barely touched the ground again as he did another back flip, bringing himself in perfect alignment with the KeyStaff's descent so he could reach out with his right hand and grab the grip with a quick snap of his wrist.

Giving the weapon one final toss, Roxas pivoted gracefully around on his right foot, then his left, and then his right one more time so he could stand straight beneath the KeyStaff and have it land in both hands. In a final flourish, he made the KeyStaff do a blinding set of rotations around his wrists again before he deftly caught the golden grip in his right hand for the second time and brought the Oblivion end of the KeyStaff straight down into the ground, the weapon perfectly perpendicular to his body. With a last deep breath, Roxas gave the holy symbol of Kingdom Hearts another reverent bow, turned to Naomé and Friar Tuck and bowed in respect towards them, and then dismissed the KeyStaff, his performance finally over.

Naomé instantly burst into applause. "Wow, Roxas! Where'd you learn that?"

Roxas smiled. "I taught myself. That was my way of practicing control of both myself and the KeyStaff." His smile turned sheepish as he scratched nervously at the back of his neck. "I've never let anyone see it until now…I was a little embarrassed."

"Embarrassed? Why? Roxas, that was _amazing!_"

"Well, I thought that people would think that I was being…a show-off, that I was doing one of those holier-than-thou kind of things. You know, like I was arrogant?"

Naomé scowled. "There's a difference between arrogance and skill, and you've _definitely_ got skill and not arrogance, Roxas Avalon!" But then, she smiled, reached out, and grabbed Roxas's wrists in her hands. "Roxas, you've _got_ to teach me how to do that! You've just _got_ to! I won't let you get away with not teaching me how!"

Roxas started laughing and held up his hands, Naomé's grip on his wrists remaining . "All right, Naomé, all right! You win! We'll start at dawn tomorrow, weather permitting, of course."

"It's a deal!"

Suddenly, they heard a squeaky voice coming from the organ. "Friar! Roxas! Naomé! The Sherriff's coming! I can see him through the window!"

Friar Tuck was immediately concerned. "Roxas, take Naomé and head back upstairs towards the Infirmary. I'm afraid that the Sherriff might recognize you from the fair a couple weeks ago. I heard Prince John wants to get a hold of you for holding him captive in the royal box. You'd better get a move on."

Naomé was afraid. What if Prince John had recognized her from when she'd helped Robin steal from him on the Road to Nottingham Village when they first arrived in Sherwood Forest? Surely the Sherriff would want to arrest _her_, too!

Roxas seemed to sense the same thing. Taking Naomé by the hand, he swiftly dashed towards the back of the pews and then up into the tower, taking a turn around the corner so that their shadows were just out of sight. Grabbing Naomé and giving her a quick whirl on her heels, he grabbed her and yanked her up close against his body.

"Roxas!" Naomé hissed. "What in the name of the gods do you think you're-"

"Shhh," Roxas whispered in her ear. He pulled Naomé a little closer to him, as though he were trying to bury her within his clothes. "Don't make a sound, Naomé. Don't move, don't blink, don't do _anything_…except breathe, that is. Just stay right up against me. If you move even an inch, our shadows might be seen."

"But," Naomé protested, "what if the Sherriff finds us, anyway? These stairs won't be of much help! We'll be trapped in the Infirmary!"

"Don't worry about it," Roxas replied. He gently took Naomé's chin in one hand and made her look up at him. "That's what the KeyStaff is for. I can bowl him over and we can make a break for it. Where, I don't know, but we'll figure it out. Don't you worry, Naomé…that's what I'm supposed to do. I'll protect you, I promise I will. Now, be silent and do as I say, okay?"

Naomé nodded and snuggled up as close to Roxas as she possibly could. Once again she had that warm and comfortable feeling she'd gotten the first time they'd done this back on the Road to Nottingham. It was strange, but it felt good at the same time. _I could actually get used to this…_

Roxas's face contorted in anger as he heard the Sherriff enter the Church of Divine Providence and address Friar Tuck with his gravelly, arrogant tone of voice. _You fat, greedy pig…if only I could get my hands on you without risking the chance of endangering Naomé…!_

"Well, well, well, Friar. I see you just finished your prayers." The Sherriff cackled scathingly. "Praying for more money? I doubt Kingdom Hearts would grant _that_ wish."

Both the Second Keybearer and the Master of the KeyStaff were shocked by the voice they suddenly heard. It was small, but it shook with quivering anger of one who was much bigger than the voice's owner.

"Ooh! What is that big bully doing here now?"

"Brother Bartholomew?" Naomé asked. "Is that you?"

"Yes, and I'm right here," The little mouse Brother replied, alighting on Roxas's shoulder. "I was coming up to the Infirmary to check on you two and offer you a cup of tea and some dinner when I heard that moron show up."

"Well, he's a moron, all right," Roxas hissed. "And he's just as much of a bully as you say he is! In fact, he's even worse! I hope Tuck chucks him out on his fat little bottom, and I hope it splits his britches wide open!"

"Amen!" Brother Bartholomew said solemnly.

Naomé snickered.

Friar Tuck sounded agitated, but Naomé could tell that he was _really_ focusing on being charitable. "If I were, I would be praying for it for the people of this poor village, not for myself. Furthermore, I'm extremely surprised to see you here, Sherriff. Come to pray for your deliverance from your sins, have you?"

"What sins? I haven't sinned for years, Friar. You know I am the most pious, the most faithful, and the most sinless person out of everyone here in Nottingham!"

"Yeah, right," Roxas muttered under his breath. "Gimme a freakin' break. If you're a saint, then I'm the son of Kingdom Hearts Herself by blood!"

Naomé bit down on her lip and buried her face in Roxas's shirt so as to stifle her sniggers. She heavily punched Roxas in the chest, right below his collarbone. She felt him flinch, heard him suck in his breath sharply so as not to yelp, and then further crush her to him, almost as if he were warning her to not do anything else along those lines until the Sherriff was gone. When she looked up at him, he was biting down on his own lip with ivory fangs, and he was giving her an icy glower from those eerie crystal blue eyes of his. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged in apology, whereupon he loosened his vise-like grip on her, allowing her to breathe again.

They both listened as the Sherriff continued. "Looks like not a lot of people made it to church today, Friar. That's kind of an odd thing, now isn't it? Looks to me like the people have lost their faith in Kingdom Hearts."

"Oh, I'm sure that they still have their faith," Friar Tuck countered. "I have _faith_ in it. The only reason they can't attend is that almost all of them are locked up in _jail!_"

"Jail?" Naomé whispered. "Roxas, do you know what he's talking about?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah. Prince John put out a royal command a few days ago. If you can't pay your taxes, you go to jail. I heard that a lot of people were arrested since then. I'd be surprised if there's anybody left in Nottingham that _isn't_ in default with the crown!"

Naomé nodded. "I agree with you."

A sudden cry from Friar Tuck made both of them stop discussing Prince John's latest form of tyranny and instead listen in on the heated discussion between the Friar and the Sherriff.

"What are you doing? That's the poor box!"

_The poor box?_ Naomé thought. _I know what that is! It's a version of a collection plate! The funds are placed in the poor box to be used for someone that's down on their luck!_ She felt a sudden wave of righteous anger rush over her, making her feel feverish. _That underhanded crook! He's stealing the little bit of money that's left in there to cover the church's taxes! That does it! Now he's gone _too_ far! Ooh, if only I could get my hands on that dirty thief…!_

"Well, then, I'll just take it for _poor_ Prince John."

Roxas heard Mother Abbess Elizabeth scold the Sherriff. "Ooh…you put that back right now!"

The Sherriff's voice was full of mock kindness and reverence as he spoke to the Mother Abbess. "I'm sure Prince John would thank you for your help, as well, Mother Abbess."

Brother Bartholomew bristled on Roxas's shoulder. He was quivering from nose to tail tip with rage, and he was quite literally dancing with anger. Naomé could tell by the fire in his little eyes that he was about to go out there and give the Sherriff a good chewing, and quite literally with his own teeth!

Friar Tuck, meanwhile, had just about had enough. "That box is there for those poor souls that have no other means to survive, not to be a personal piggy bank for that lowdown, no good, lying, thieving _Prince John!_" He thundered, his voice echoing in the cloisters like a thunderclap.

The Sherriff's voice was now full of malice. "Listen, Friar! You better watch yourself, or else you're going to find yourself winding up in a hangman's noose!" He threatened.

That was it! Friar Tuck had reached his breaking point. "_Get out of my church!_" He exploded, roughly shoving the Sherriff backwards so hard that the wily, beady-eyed wolf tripped on his tail. Full of wrath, the stocky Friar continued to push the Sherriff back down the walkway between the pews, until he shoved him out of the door. Snatching up the oaken quarterstaff he had placed just inside the door, he yanked the hood of his habit over his head so as to protect his face from the rain and dashed out the door after the Sherriff.

The Sherriff was amazed by the sight of the usually gentle Friar Tuck come barreling out of the Church of Divine Providence, so much so that he had unknowingly let his guard down enough for the Friar to immediately score several heavy hits with the quarterstaff. Flinching, he backed up even further, until he was actually being beaten back down along the path and with his back towards Nottingham Village.

"You want taxes?" Friar Tuck roared, viciously attacking the Sherriff with a nasty sideways swipe of his staff. "I'll give you taxes!" He blasted, catching the Sherriff along the jaw line with a particularly nasty swing.

Back inside, Roxas, Naomé, and Brother Bartholomew had snuck down from the tower, and were now glancing around the partially open door with Mother Abbess Elizabeth.

"Yahoo! Look at the Friar go!" Brother Bartholomew cheered. He shouted out his support into the rain. "Give it to 'em! Give it to 'em! Give it to 'em, Friar!"

"And another one for luck, Tuck!" Roxas called encouragingly.

"You show that mangy mutt of an alley dog who's boss!" Naomé laughed.

All three began interjecting suggestions as to what Tuck should do next.

"Smack him betwixt the eyes!"

"Give 'im another jawbreaker, Friar! That oughta get 'im!"

"Yeah! Beat him with that staff like you would a dusty, smelly old throw rug and leave him outside to get washed in the rain! You can use him as a doormat once he's good and dry!"

Roxas howled with laughter at Naomé's last remark. _That was a pretty good idea!_ He thought. _I wonder where she comes up with those things? I wish I could think up a few good ones like that once in a while! That's something _she's_ gonna have to teach me!_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - The East Path_

_KER-CRACK!_

Friar Tuck swung out hard, scoring a powerful hit on the Sherriff's unprotected ribs. After a particularly painful crack to the head, the Sherriff had ducked beneath his arms for cover, only to leave his torso wide open to attack. As the Sherriff gasped sorely for the air that'd been knocked out of him, the Friar took Roxas's advice of "another jawbreaker" and took both ends of the staff to the Sherriff's jaw, hitting him three times.

_THWACK! SMACK! CRUNCH!_

The force of the last blow was so hard that it sent the Sherriff reeling. Painfully, he put his paw to his jaw and felt that it was cracked in several places. Snarling, the Sherriff motioned to his two vulture cohorts, Trigger and Nutsy, to come to his aid from the nearby trees. Both vultures swooped in for the attack, Trigger catching Friar Tuck's hood and yanking it down over his eyes so that he couldn't see.

Sensing the heavy weight on his head, Friar Tuck went berserk, his staff swinging wildly in all directions. He thwacked Nutsy a few times, knocking the clumsy, addlepated vulture out of the air and sending him crashing into the mud. Another few lucky strikes knocked Trigger half-unconscious, and the last few that he managed to deal out gave the Sherriff three final raps, two to the head and one to the stomach.

The Sherriff took advantage of Tuck's being distracted. Taking out an iron collar that he kept in a pouch at his side, he snapped it around the Friar's neck. "You're under arrest for high treason to the crown!" He yelled through the storm. Grabbing the leading rope that was attached to a loop on the collar, he tugged the Friar sharply towards him and swung out with a vicious backhand, sending the quarterstaff spinning out of Friar Tuck's hands to land somewhere along the side of the road.

Friar Tuck knew that it was all over. He didn't have his weapon anymore, so he didn't have any means to fight the greater strength of the Sherriff. With his shoulders slumped and his head hanging in defeat, he reluctantly allowed the Sherriff to lead him down the path towards Nottingham Village, Trigger's crossbow locked and loaded and pointed at his back in aggression. Despite the hood of his habit was still up and it was hard for him to look back due to the iron collar around his neck, he gave a final, forlorn glance at the Church of Divine Providence. If he looked closely, he could see Roxas and Naomé peeking around the edge of the door, their faces filled with shock and despair.

_Faith is the only thing that can save the people of Nottingham and I…faith in Robin Hood and our new friends…it is all up to them now… Roxas…Naomé…don't let Prince John succeed…_

Naomé dashed out onto the East Path, eyes locked on the left-hand side of the road. She'd seen the staff of Friar Tuck go flying off into the brush after the Sherriff's wicked backslap, and she was determined to grab it before something happened to it.

She was about halfway between the church and the place where Friar Tuck was arrested when she saw the staff lying in a puddle just off the side of the road. Leaping down into the grass, she crouched down and tenderly picked up the oaken quarterstaff from its resting place. Sadly, she gave the faithful weapon a reassuring stroke with her hand. The staff was still warm from Friar Tuck's grip and the speed at which it'd sliced through the air, although she noticed that it was now rapidly cooling off due to both the rain and inactivity.

Roxas came trotting up beside Naomé. He saw that she was glaring coldly at the village and the barely noticeable form of the Sherriff of Nottingham and his two vulture cohorts as they lead Friar Tuck to the Royal Castle through the storm. He didn't blame her…the Friar had put up a good fight for one who had lead a relatively peaceful life because of religious practices. It was a shame to see such a good man be taken to jail all because he rose up and fought back against injustice and in defense of the faith he so firmly believed in.

"I'll never forgive that creep," Naomé snarled as she sensed Roxas come up beside her. Her grip tightened on the staff as she turned her gaze up at Roxas, eyes burning with a warrior's wrath and fangs clenched so tightly together that they appeared to be fused shut. "I'll never forgive him or that childish Prince John! If I have to, I'll save Sherwood Forest myself!"

"You and me both, Naomé," Roxas replied. "You and me both."

Both golden blonde fox and white-and-golden-brown-blonde-striped raccoon glowered fiercely down the road and into the rain. Agate gray and crystal blue eyes flashed in the lightning, and the fires of vengeance roared in their souls as they saw Friar Tuck finally disappear from sight.

_Three Hours Later_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

The rain had died down, allowing Robin Hood, Little John, Sora, and KazeRyu to finally be able to come out of hiding. They were now just outside of the gates to the Courtyard of the Royal Castle, and Robin Hood was dressing himself up as a blind, old beggar in tattered rags. He completed the outfit with a gnarled walking stick and a thoroughly battered tin cup for "donations."

KazeRyu scowled darkly, the hood of his jacket pulled up over his head just in case it started to rain again. He stared levelly at Sora, who had also pulled up the hood of his own jacket over his head. "I do not like this, Sora…I smell a rat here."

"Or a smelly old wolf," Robin replied. "The Sherriff's in the Courtyard with his vulture buddies Trigger and Nutsy. Looks from here to me that they're fiddling around with the hangman's platform. For what, I don't know why."

"Good!" Sora hissed. "I hope the silly bastards hang themselves!"

"I wish," Little John grumbled. "Unfortunately, I doubt that that wish would come true. Personally, _I'd_ like to see _Prince John_ hanging from there, but I _know_ that _that_ won't happen."

"Keep wishing," Robin said as he walked towards the open gate. "Maybe it will come true one of these days. I'm going in there. Be right back, everyone!"

_Tap, tap…tap, tap…tap, tap…_

The Sherriff paused as he thought he heard something made of wood hitting the cobblestones of the Royal Palace grounds. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw Robin, his hood covering his head and a pair of dark glasses hiding his eyes, come walking into the castle.

"Alms…alms for the poor…" Robin said in a croaky voice. He tapped around randomly with the walking stick. Then, suddenly, he stopped, and gave the Sherriff a smile as he cocked an ear. "Did me old ears just hear the good Sherriff nearby?"

Grinning, the Sherriff gave Robin a friendly smile. "Yep, you sure did!"

Robin came closer. The Sherriff moved out of the way to let him come close enough to tap the hangman's platform with the end of the stick. After a few more pokes, Robin pointed in the direction of the noose itself. "Here now…what've we here?"

Nutsy, who was always a nutcase, cackled stupidly. "It's a hangman's noose, silly! We're gonna have a hangin' in the mornin'! Yer welcome to come to the party!"

"Yes, indeed," The Sherriff agreed, patting Robin on the shoulder. "You're more than welcome to attend, old one. 'Twould be a shame to not have you there."

"Maybe I shall, maybe I shall," Robin mused. "Now, who's the guest of honor?"

Again, Nutsy explained. "We're gonna be hangin' Friar Tuck at dawn!"

_Friar Tuck?_ Robin thought, nearly losing his composure under his disguise. He swiftly recovered himself and spoke to the Sherriff. "Hang Friar Tuck? What in the devil did he do?"

The Sherriff explained as he mounted the hangman's platform to adjust the noose. "High treason to the crown, old one. He didn't pay his taxes, and he attacked an officer of the law."

It took everything Robin Hood had not to start laughing. He'd just noticed the fresh bruises and the slight swelling around the Sherriff's jaw and eyes. Tuck had obviously given him a good beating before he was arrested. But, that made him wonder: Roxas had told him that he and Naomé were staying at the Church with Friar Tuck. What'd happened to them? Were they captured, as well?

Trigger didn't like Robin. Always the suspicious one, he kept his crossbow, "Betsy," locked and loaded at all times. He tried to keep the safety on, but, being a vulture, didn't have the most perfect of memories, and he was renowned for having a jumpy "trigger finger," hence his nickname. Narrowing his beady yellow eyes, Trigger approached Robin, "Betsy" pointed threateningly at him. "You're sure askin' a lot of questions, old man."

_PUNT!_

"_Yeow!_"

"You featherbrained idiot!" The Sherriff scolded Trigger as he soundly kicked him on the bottom and sent his tail feathers scattering everywhere. "Show some respect for your elders!"

Trigger yelped and squawked as he bounced down the stairs from the hangman's platform before tumbling into a pile of dusty old feathers at Robin's feet. He was about to get up when "Betsy" came spinning down after him, soundly clonking him on the head and knocking him senseless.

Robin nodded. He was beginning to enjoy this, although he was seething with rage due to Tuck's imprisonment and pending execution. "Aye, aye, he's right, young feller. You'd do well to mind his lessons. The Sherriff's a wise one, he is."

The remark had its desired effect. The Sherriff swelled up with importance as he went back to adjusting the noose. "Well, I'm not one of those philosopher types, but I know my way around."

Nutsy flapped down onto the platform from his position atop the hanging brace. Giving the Sherriff a purely confused look, he walked over and grabbed the lever that controlled the trapdoor. "Hey, now, Sherriff. Don't you think you oughta be givin' that trapdoor a test?" Then, before anybody else could say anything, Nutsy yanked on the lever.

_KER-WHUMP!_

The Sherriff, completely blindsided by his cohort's stupidity, fell through the trapdoor and got trapped between the noose and the ground below the platform by his wobbly, oversized gut. Sighing in resignation, the Sherriff of Nottingham glared up at Nutsy and shook his head in despair. "Now I know why your mama always called you Nutsy," He said. "You _are_ nutsy!"

"Yep! Sure am!" Nutsy replied, too stupid to know that he was just insulted.

Robin knew he couldn't take much more of the antics of the Sherriff, Nutsy, and Trigger. He was wasting too much time bandying about with them…time that he should be spending on figuring out how to keep Tuck out of the hangman's noose. Turning away, he began to head back out of the castle. "Sherriff, aren't you worried about that there Robin Hood?"

"Oh, I've got a surprise for him," The Sherriff replied. Smirking, he pointed to the second noose that was coiled up next to the support beam. "See that there? Whoops, sorry…forgot you can't see. Well, when Robin comes to the rescue, I'm gonna have that all set up for him. He and Tuck are buddies, and like true friends they'll go down together!"

This made Robin _really_ angry, but he chose not to show it. Instead, he gave the Sherriff a smile. "Jolly good! I can see that Robin Hood won't be outfoxing you anytime soon, Sherriff! You're much too clever for that, says I!"

The Sherriff laughed. "I like you, old one! Now, it looks like it might rain again any minute now. You should go find someplace safe and dry in case it storms again. Wouldn't want you catching a cold and missing the party at dawn, now would we?"

Robin shook his head. "Nay, I wouldn't miss it for the World! I'll be here, I will. Good night, young feller. Don't stay up all night playing hangman now, d'you hear? That's best left for tomorrow!"

Nodding, the Sherriff waved good-bye as Robin vanished into the woods outside the gates. "Good night, old one. Sleep well."

Trigger watched Robin leave. He turned to the Sherriff as he replaced his helmet on his head. "I don't like that old coot, Sherriff. He was pokin' around, askin' a lot of questions. That makes me suspicious."

"Oh, stop being such an anal little twit," The Sherriff grunted. "That old man's just a blind, lame beggar! He lives off of watching the misfortunes of others and taking advantage of people's kindness! Why, if there were enough money in people's pockets, he'd probably be having a nightly stint in the tavern, drinking until he either puked and passed out or got thrown out by the owner!"

"That makes me wonder how he's still alive," Nutsy said. "If he don't got any money because nobody else does, then how does he make a livin'?"

"Probably by digging in the trash," The Sherriff said, shrugging and changing the subject all in one motion. "Ah, well. It don't matter right now. All we gotta do is make one final adjustment to this here noose, and then it's nighty-night for all three of us!"

Sora swung down from the treetops just as Robin got back with KazeRyu and Little John. The Keyblade Master was near dancing with outrage. "They're hanging the Friar!" He glared indignantly at KazeRyu. "And, get this! They were _laughing_ about it the entire time! Those disgusting _animals!_ They're sick in the heads, they are!"

"Rob, we can't let 'em hang Friar Tuck!" Little John said as Robin flipped the hood of his cloak back and removed his glasses.

"We have to do a jailbreak," Robin replied. "It's the only way to save everyone, including Tuck!"

"We are going to break everybody out of jail just so we can save the Friar?" KazeRyu said, pale eyes wide in amazement. Then, he returned to normal with a snort and grimaced. "_That_ is going to be a tricky one. It sounds virtually impossible, if you ask me. That would be too many people to keep an eye on."

"We've got to, KazeRyu," Robin whispered. "Or Friar Tuck dies at dawn!"


	33. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Jailbreak!

_Later that Night_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Church of Divine Providence - Sanctuary_

"Naomé!"

"Huh?" Naomé replied, stirring from her slumbers on one of the pews. She looked over her shoulder to see Roxas leaning over the pew and gently shaking her shoulder. "Roxas, what the…when did you come back?"

"Just now. Sora told me what's going to happen. He, Robin, KazeRyu, and Little John are going to make a jailbreak tonight. I told him that you and I were going to meet them outside the Royal Palace gates in one hour."

Naomé groaned. "One hour? I won't even be fully awake by then! Besides, what good am I going to be? I don't have a weapon, remember?"

"What about the staff you brought back with you from your vacation?"

"Idiot!" Naomé said, stifling a yawn. "I don't have the training under my belt to use it like you use the KeyStaff! I may have emulated your powers in the past, but I'm afraid it might not work here!"

Roxas was confused. "Why? Sherwood Forest isn't protected against magic! Sora and I used our Keyblade weapons here, and those are considered magic weapons!"

"No, no! My using my emulation powers to emulate your abilities will only do so much for so long. In order for me to stand a chance and hold my ground against the bad guys, I'd have to stay right next to you the entire time we were helping break everyone out of the dungeons!"

"I don't see anything wrong with having you stick close to me. In fact, I would prefer if you would, Naomé. I would feel _much_ more comfortable that way."

Naomé gave Roxas a sarcastic grin. "Oh? And how close would you prefer to have me, hm? As close as we were in the tower a little while ago, perhaps?"

_Don't give me any ideas,_ Roxas thought as he and Naomé prepared to leave for the Royal Castle. _I haven't felt the way I do about keeping you safe since I was engaged ten years ago and protected my fiancée from danger. Since then, the need to protect somebody besides myself became something unnecessary. Now, I'd do anything and everything to keep you safe, Naomé…even if it ended my life…_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

Sora was hiding in the shadows of the treetops over the gates to the Courtyard. He growled softly and bared his shining milky white teeth in aggravation. "By the Light of Kingdom Hearts!" He hissed down to Robin Hood, Little John, and KazeRyu. "The Sherriff and those two bumbling birdbrains he has for his captains are guarding the gates to the freakin' dungeon tower! Robin, how in the devil do you propose that we get in there, eh? Knock? Don't think so!"

"Leave that to me," Robin replied. "All we need to do, as inconvenient as it may seem and as contradictory to my earlier words, is to bide our time. An opportunity will show up sooner or later. Watch!"

Inside the gates, the Sherriff of Nottingham was situating himself in a chair right by the gate that lead up to the dungeon tower behind and above him. He peeked back over his shoulder at the door just inside the gate, the one that had a cloth sign that read _Prisoner of High Treason to the Crown_ tacked onto its seasoned oaken panels. "G'night, Friar!" He cackled as he snuggled down into his chair. Giving a great yawn and crossing his legs at the ankles, he closed his eyes and prepared to drift off to sleep…

"Sherriff!"

Grunting, the Sherriff looked down and glowered at Trigger. "What is it, Trigger? Can't you see that I'm tryin' to sleep? Gods! And to make a note on the subject, don't you _ever_ sleep, you trigger-happy feather duster? Sheesh!"

"I can't help it, Sherriff," Trigger replied. His eyes darted about as he scanned the Courtyard and the surrounding battlements. "I've just got one of 'em feelings y'know? The feelings that something big is gonna happen sometime real soon…just call it a hunch, but it's probably gonna be a jailbreak any minute now-"

The Sherriff was immediately on edge. Trigger wasn't paying attention (again!), and was basically tickling his left eyeball with the tip of the arrow that he'd set in "Betsy!" "For cryin' out loud, Trigger! Get that damned crossbow outta my eyes!" He snarled, shoving the weapon out of firing range of his body. "Gods! You're gonna put somebody's eye out with that thing one of these days! Will you just relax for one freakin' night? Gimme a break!"

"You don't have to get so snappy, Sherriff!" Trigger grunted. "I've got the safety on!"

"Still! Didn't your mother ever teach you not to point sharp things at people? Go over by the gates and do what you're supposed to do and leave me alone so I can get my beauty rest, fool! I gotta look good when I hang Tuck tomorrow morning, so shove off your tail feathers and shut up your beak!"

Trigger sneered angrily as he marched off to the gates with Nutsy, who was now wielding a pike. His brother gave him a laugh and good-naturedly punched him on the shoulder. "Good 'ol Trig! Always doin' your job, ain't you?"

"Put a cork in it, Nuts," Trigger growled as he brought his crossbow to bear. He turned a malignant eye on Nutsy. "And stand at attention and keep the head of that pike up, dodo!"

Nutsy clumsily straightened himself up and fixed his cloak, then shifted the pike about in his grip until he was comfortable with it. Turning with a sharp, militaristic pivot on his left foot, he saluted Trigger, who returned the salute with his crossbow. Then, the two vulture brothers began marching at a measured pace between the support columns of the gates, wary of everything that moved.

KazeRyu was beginning to get irritated like Sora was. "This is not good, Robin," He remarked. "Those two idiots are guarding the gates. _Now_ how are we going to get in there and saving the Friar?"

"Leave it to me!" Sora whispered from the trees. "I've got an idea! Robin, be ready to move when I tell you! Once I do this, you're gonna have to move like lightning, or else everything's ruined! Okay?"

"What are you gonna do, Sora?" Robin asked.

Sora's smirk was as wily as the Sherriff's. "Watch me!"

"Sora!" KazeRyu warned. "I do not want you to _dare_ go in there! You get caught, Master of the Keyblade, and that will be it!"

"I'm not going in, but my _magic_ is."

KazeRyu felt himself pale. "_Magic?_ Sora, no! Do not-"

His warning came too late. Sora had already dashed along one of the branches so that he was looking over the battlements and in direct line with Trigger and Nutsy. Holding his breath and keeping his tail curled around the branch, Sora flipped over so that he was hanging upside down just off of the wall. He stealthily Summoned his Keyblade, aimed at the point where Nutsy would take another clipped turn to go back in the direction he'd come from, and fired just as the vulture turned.

_JIZ-ZZZAAAAAAKKKK!_

"_Yeow!_" Nutsy screeched as Sora's Thundaga went screaming into right where his tail met his body, the feathers smoking like a smoke signal.

The attack had the exact effect Sora had envisioned. Taking advantage of Trigger's trigger-happy nature, he'd employed the long-range capabilities of his Thundaga to grant Robin, Little John and KazeRyu a cover to get into the castle by creating a rather loud diversion. He'd already planned on waiting outside for Roxas and Naomé while the others would break out Friar Tuck and the rest of the prisoners. Then, when Roxas and Naomé were there with him, they would charge the gates down and go on the offensive, thus granting their friends more time to do their work.

Trigger went, just as Sora had hoped, trigger-happy. Unceremoniously flipping the safety off of his crossbow, he began firing bolts into the Courtyard and shouting at the top of his lungs as he charged about in search of what he'd heard. "Jailbreak! Jailbreak! Sherriff, I _told_ you I sensed a jailbreak! I told you, I told you, _I told you!_ It happened, it happened! There's a jailbreak goin' on! I _told_ you there would be!"

"Robin!" Sora hissed. "_Now!_"

Robin Hood took off like a flash, Little John and KazeRyu right behind him. Dashing to the gates, he reached through the bars and snagged Nutsy's cloak. He flipped the helmet off and gave the cloak a sharp tug, bringing Nutsy's head smashing back into the gate and rendering him unconscious.

"Robin! The keys! Nutsy's got the keys!" Sora said in a loud whisper. "Look underneath his cloak! Hurry! That Trigger buffoon's comin' back, and fast!"

Sora's urgent comment only made Robin all the more cool. He reacted much more smoothly when there was a high risk of danger involved. Thinking quickly, he flipped aside Nutsy's cloak, snatched the keys, unlocked the gate, and then dragged the unconscious vulture out into the dark. He turned to close the gate just enough so that it had the impression of being closed before he made his next move.

"How close is the other one, Sora?" Little John called up.

"Like I said, he's comin' back in a rush!" Sora replied. "There's no time to lose! Get moving, Robin Hood! Do whatever you're gonna do and do it fast! Hurry!"

Roughly disarming Nutsy of his cloak, helmet, tunic, and pike, Robin yanked a sock out of his tunic that he'd made into a passable imitation of a vulture beak and tugged it on over the top half of his muzzle. He tossed the tunic over his shoulders and gave it a quick adjustment before clapping the cloak around his neck and tugging it partially closed so as to hide his body. Then, flashing his friends a grin, he picked up the pike and hastily dodged around the partially open gate, quietly closing it as Trigger came rushing back towards the gate.

Once Robin was safe inside, Sora pulled himself back up into the trees and out of sight like a flash. It was as if no one had seen him there just outside of the battlements, Keyblade in hand and discharging a Thundaga attack. Everything looked as if Sora Yamato Kasasagi had never even existed.

"Nutsy! What were you doing outside?" Trigger asked, coming to a halt.

Robin imitated Nutsy's voice. "I thought I saw something, and I went to check it out. 'Twas just a wee little tree moving about in the breeze. Now, confound it all, Trig, put that oversized pea-shooter down!"

The Sherriff, who'd taken off with Trigger, sheathed his sword in anger. "Aw, you moron! It was only Nutsy!" He vented his anger on the grim vulture. "You addlebrained scavenger! You woke me up for nothing! No more false alarms!"

_PUNT!_

"_Yeow!_" Trigger yelped as he got kicked for the second time that night.

It took everything Robin had not to start laughing in his normal voice. Instead, he sniggered like he'd heard Nutsy do in the past. "Heeheehee! That one looked like it hurt, Trig! You're tail's probably as sore as mine is!"

"What was it that hit you, anyway, Nuts?" The Sherriff asked.

Robin thought fast. He winced and rubbed at his rear for effect. "Aw, it was nothing, Sherriff. I got my tail too close to them there darned hinges. When I turned around, I got my feathers stuck in 'em, and I pinched 'em right near me tail knob. Hurt like the devil, it did! That'll teach me a lesson! From now on, I'll take the _outside_ when I stand guard! Yes sir, I will!"

The Sherriff shook his head. "Oh, Nutsy…you _are_ an addlebrained one, aren't you?"

"As you say, Sherriff."

"All right. Be careful. Now, as for me, I'm going back to sleep. Good night!"

Robin pointed at Trigger. "Hey there, Trigger. Maybe you should go and guard the other gate 'round the corner there. I'll take this one here. I'll be all right, I promise. Maybe if we separate, we won't have to worry about getting our feathers pinched again. Like I said, that hurt! I would sure hate to see you get hurt too, Trig."

Amazingly, Trigger agreed, and marched off towards the gate on the other side of the Courtyard.

"That blasted Trigger…now I won't be able to sleep!"

Robin noticed the Sherriff was in a bad temper. Having had his sleep disturbed, he was now grumpy and grouchy, which was the temperament that he _didn't_ need to be in if his plans were to succeed. He called over to the Sherriff in what he hoped was a sympathetic tone. "Hey, Sherriff. You all right?"

"I'll be fine if I can fall asleep again!" The Sherriff grumbled. "That damned brother of yours woke me up, and now I can't get comfortable and fall back to sleep! I have to get up in a few hours, and I won't be able to now!"

"Y'know what my old ma used to do when I couldn't sleep as a chick?" Robin offered. "She sang me a lullaby until I dozed off to la-la-land. Maybe a lullaby would do you some good, Sherriff. You wanna give it a little try?"

The Sherriff shrugged. "Sure, Nutsy. You don't have to, but thank you."

Robin came over to the Sherriff and helped him set his feet on a wooden crate to use as an ottoman. "There now, Sherriff. We get you all settled in, kinda cozy like, and then I'll start singin'. I know my voice don't sound that good, but it's a lot better at singin' songs than anything else." He used a spare cloak as a blanket and tucked the Sherriff in, softly singing "Rock-A-Bye Sherriff" as he worked. When all was set, and the Sherriff was dozing off, he signaled to Little John to come in.

_Here's the second step of the plan put in motion…now, all that's left is to free Friar Tuck and the prisoners, and get all the gold out of the Royal Treasury and back into the hands of the villagers! Once that's taken care of, I'll deal with the Sherriff and Prince John myself!_

Sora leaned against the gate, hidden within the shadows once more. He'd made his instructions to KazeRyu and Little John perfectly clear: he would act as sentry while waiting for Roxas and Naomé so they could get in at the same time. Then once he had his friends with them, they would raise a humungous hullabaloo, thus distracting the guards and the Sherriff long enough for everyone else to escape the castle and head back to the safety of Nottingham Village.

_Robin needs all the time he can get…I know that he's going to free the prisoners _and_ go after the taxes that must be stored somewhere within the castle. Knowing my luck, it would probably be near Prince John. That greedy little baby would want to keep his favorite toy close by…just like any other baby, he doesn't want to share…_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Dungeon Tower - First Floor - Entry Hall_

Little John was amazed by Robin's cunning. The crafty fox had silently stolen the keys to the dungeon tower off of the Sherriff's belt and had been able to give them to him with barely any effort. Now, he was walking down the corridor and to where Friar Tuck was being held.

Carefully, quietly, Little John put the key into the lock and gave it a slow but firm quarter-turn to the right, moments later receiving a _click_ in acknowledgment that he'd used the proper key. Cautiously withdrawing the key, the brown bear cohort of Robin Hood took a careful look back towards the front door of the tower, which he'd closed tightly, and prepared to open the door to Friar Tuck's cell.

The sight of the Friar was not one that Little John had ever expected to see. The friendly Friar was shackled to the walls, head hung on his chest in defeat, obviously sleeping fitfully. However, when he'd seen the moonlight hitting his habit, he looked up and saw Little John standing before him. His voice was full of shock and glee. "Little John!"

"_Shhh,_" Little John said softly as he found the proper key on the ring to the Friar's manacles. "We're bustin' outta here. C'mon, Tuck, you gotta help me get the others outta the top of the tower."

"Oh, my prayers have been answered," Tuck said softly as he rubbed the life back into his aching wrists and numbed paws. Before he left his cell, he turned towards the moon that he could clearly see hanging in the sky through his window, laid a grateful paw over his heart, and bowed to it. Then, smiling, he followed Little John back towards the stairs of the tower.

The battle to free Nottingham and Sherwood Forest was about to begin!

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Square_

Roxas stared intently at the roofs of the towers of the Royal Castle, their long, silken pennants waving softly in the evening breeze. The stormy skies had abated, leaving the night clear and with a sky full of twinkling stars and a heart-shaped moon.

"I'll never get over how the moon looks here," Naomé remarked.

"I know," Roxas replied. "It kinda takes some getting used to. I had a hard time believing that the moon was _round_ where you came from!"

Naomé smiled. "Yeah, I guess everybody has to make adjustments at one point or another, right?" She gave Roxas a gentle nudge in the ribs. "I bet even Sora still has to, and he's stayed in Kingdom Hearts longer than I have!"

Roxas shrugged. "You've got a point there. So, how much farther do you think it is until we reach the castle? And furthermore, will we be too late to help Sora and everyone else out?"

This time Naomé shrugged. "I think we're pretty close. Another couple blocks here, and we should probably be on the final approach. As for Sora and the others, I'm willing to bet that Sora's waiting for us while everybody else works on freeing the prisoners. He wouldn't leave us stranded outside the gates. He's too loyal for that sort of thing."

"You know him pretty well, don't you?" Roxas chuckled. "Probably not as well as _you_ know him," Naomé joked.

Roxas shook his head in mock despair. "You got me again, Naomé," He said, lightly slapping her shoulder. "Gods! How do you _do that?_"

Naomé giggled. "Wouldn't you like to know!"

"I would, but I have a feeling you won't tell me no matter _how much_ I ask."

"Ooh, you're _good!_" Naomé teased.

"Shut it," Roxas replied, giving Naomé a sly smirk.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

Robin was mentally cursing his misfortune. He'd incorrectly assumed that the taxes were being kept in the Royal Treasury, and he'd discovered that they were instead safe and secure inside of Prince John's room! Fortunately, his plan of creating a "lift" by shooting a rope between the Prince's chambers and the Dungeon at the top of the tower across the way. Now, with the rope looped around one of the bedposts and somewhere back in the Dungeon, Robin was free and clear to transport the taxes to the Dungeon and have them given back to the citizens of Nottingham!

Carefully, quietly, stealthily, Robin picked up one bag of gold at a time and looped the rope around the neck of each closed bag. Then,, he would safely guide each one through the window and out into the open air. He would give each bag a fleeting glance before moving on to the next pile.

Slowly, without the Prince's knowledge, the vast amounts of wealth he had stored in his chambers was being whittled away to nothing. He slept peacefully on, he and Sir Hiss, as Robin did his noble larceny through the night and right under his nose.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

Sora was overjoyed to see Naomé, who was walking silently next to Roxas, wielding an oaken quarterstaff about her height and armed with a longbow and a quiver of arrows. He embraced her warmly and gave her a couple of admonishing pokes in the middle of her chest. "You sly vixen, you! First, you throw out your back, and then you turn around and run away without so much as a good-bye note! Then, _two weeks later_, you decided to come back and show up just in time to help Robin do the biggest tax refund in the history of Kingdom Hearts! You sure know how to make an entrance, don't you?"

"Gee, Sora, I missed you, too," Naomé said sarcastically as she caught Sora in a swift chokehold and ruffled his spiky fur. "What a way to greet a friend! You ungrateful wretch! And to think I dare to call you friend, Sora Kasasagi! I am _ashamed_ of myself! How could I associate myself with such a brat as you?"

Roxas sniggered. "You two are _exactly_ alike! So, what's your plan now, Sora?"

Sora nodded towards the castle. "We wait, that's what. Wait and watch."

"My favorite thing to do," Naomé grumbled as her and Roxas took their positions on either side of the gate. She gave the Sherriff of Nottingham a particularly nasty glare through the wrought iron bars and clenched her quarterstaff so tightly that she was certain that she would snap it like a toothpick if she squeezed any harder.

Sora leaped into the trees just above their heads and crouched in waiting, his Keyblade held down and away from the patch of moonlight that was alighting on his head. He didn't want to give away his position…not unless it was absolutely necessary. Then, a sudden spark of his memory dawned on him, and he called down softly to his friends. "Oh, by the by, the gate's unlocked, so don't lean against it or touch it in any way. I intentionally left it unlocked after Robin gave me the keys to it. We'll need it unlocked so the prisoners can escape in a jiffy. We don't want to waste time. We don't have enough of it as it is."

"Sounds good to me," Roxas replied as he settled in for a long night's watch.

_Dawn_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

Robin felt himself breathe a sigh of relief every single time a bag of gold made it undetected to the Dungeon above his head and across the Courtyard. He knew from looking at the room that his mission was almost complete, as well. There was only one bag of gold left, and it was in the most dangerous place of all: Prince John was snuggling it like it was a teddy bear!

_Oh, curses!_ Robin thought as he carefully crept over to the Prince's bedside. How was he going to get the gold out of the Prince's childish paws without waking the blue-blooded baby? Thinking fast, he decided that the only way to do it was to ease it out of the Prince's possession and into his own, Then, once that was done, he could untie the rope and swing out of the window, shinny up the rope into the Dungeon, and then help Little John and Friar Tuck get the prisoners out and back into the village.

The Prince was grumbling and whimpering in his sleep, obviously suffering from unpleasant dreams. He shifted his grip on the bag of gold and began noisily sucking his thumb to try and calm himself.

Robin's ears flattened against his head at the sucking noise, and he scowled in disgust. _Oh, my God…you've _got_ to be _kidding me!_ The Prince still sucks on his thumb like a cub? I knew he was a baby to begin with, but this is just _ridiculous!_ Oh, I hope King Richard comes back soon…otherwise, _I'll_ take over as King until he comes back!_ He grinned smugly at the thought that suddenly manifested itself in his mind. _Hmmm…"King Robin"…I kinda like the sound of that…_

Fighting the urge to wake Prince John up so as to spare his ears of the horrible infantile sounds, Robin began to slowly pry the bag of gold out of Prince John's hands. He knew he was going to have his work cut out for him, too…the arm that had the thumb on it that Prince John was sucking was the same one that was wrapped around the gold! If he moved too fast, the Prince would wake up, and that would be it!

Sir Hiss's senses had alerted him to Prince John's disturbed slumbers, as well as to the fact that there was something amiss in the castle. Licking his lips with his tongue, he slowly opened his eyes and straightened up so as to stretch his spine back into its proper alignment. However, when he looked at what was going on in the room, he immediately snapped fully awake. Robin Hood was in the castle, and furthermore, he was in the Prince's chambers, stealing all the gold!

He was tempted to sound the alarm himself, but he decided against it. It was best to try and stop Robin himself. After all, if the Prince woke up, and Robin managed to escape from the chamber before anything could be done about capturing him, the Prince would be in a _foul_ temper, and he didn't feel like dealing with _that_ this early in the morning.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

Roxas's ears pricked up at a noise he thought he was hearing. He looked questioningly at Naomé, who was also having a similar puzzled expression. He looked up into the trees, and saw that Sora was staring in horror at the "towing line" above the castle grounds. "Sora, what's wrong?" He whispered up to his friend.

"One of the bags of gold has a hole in it!" Sora whispered back sharply. "There's coins falling out of it! Sooner or later, those are going to hit the Sherriff, and then he's going to blow this whole thing wide open! And if _that_ happens, we're _definitely_ screwed!"

"Yeah, but it's not like you can use one of your spells to stop them from falling in the first place!" Naomé hissed. "What about my Stopga or my Graviga?"

"Idiot! You told me those spells have a very limited duration! By the time we could get in the gate and move the Sherriff out of the line of fire, you'd waste all your stored power, not to mention we still might not be able to make it in time to prevent even one of the coins from hitting! I hate to say it, but we're just gonna have to prepare ourselves to make a break for it!"

Roxas frowned. "I don't like the sound of that idea, Naomé. I was hoping to have to avoid bashing more of the guards. Those rhinos are a _pain!_"

Naomé threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know what I'm going to do with the two of you! I might as well try to get in there myself and try and cut the thing down and catch it! I bet _that_ would have a higher degree of accuracy!"

"No good," Sora said. "You'd risk the same problems you would if you and Roxas tried to move the Sherriff! It's like you said: I may hate the thought of it, but we're just gonna have to get ready to attack. I didn't want any confrontation, either, but it looks like it's inevitable."

Scowling, Roxas Summoned his KeyStaff and walked around the corner so that he was outside of the gates. He waved Naomé out from her side, as well. "We've got Sora acting as sentry, so we don't need to hide there anymore," He explained. "Besides, I've Summoned my weapon, and if the sunlight hits it, we'll be in even _bigger_ trouble than we already are. It's just that the KeyStaff would give it away much sooner."

"Nothing would give our plans away sooner than that damned bag of gold," Naomé remarked bitterly. "That little bag's the one chink in the armor that's gonna bring this whole thing down. All it's gonna take to see us all swinging from that hangman's noose in there is just one of those itty bitty little coins. As my mother always used to say, 'it's the smallest things that can cause the greatest damage.'"

Sora nodded gravely up in the tree. The words of Naomé's mother's philosophical observation made perfect sense to him. _Sounds to me like Naomé's mom was a very wise woman…_ He grinned in spite of the tension that was tying his stomach in knots. _Ah-ha! _Now_ I know Naomé gets it from! As they always say, "like mother, like daughter…"_

Inside the gates, the Sherriff squirmed uncomfortably. Several small, hard objects had just hit him in the face. Groaning, he rubbed at his face with a grimy paw. "Blast it, Trigger," He grumbled. "What in do you think you're doin', huh? I thought it told you to-"

Suddenly, he stopped. His eyes immediately caught the flash of a gold coin in the early morning light. _What the…? Gold falling from the sky? I know I've had stuff like that happen in my dreams, but I'm wide awake! Why is gold falling from the sky? Unless…_

Snapping into clear consciousness, the Sherriff whipped his head back and saw the "tow line" of bags of gold, along with the one with the tear in it. Leaping to his feet, the Sherriff bawled out, "Robin Hood! Robin Hood's in here! Guards! Capture Robin Hood! He's in the Prince's personal chambers!"

Sora groaned and slapped his forehead with a paw. "Oh, _blast it!_" He hissed.

Naomé also groaned. "Great! This is_ worse_ than we expected! The Sherriff didn't call for the jailbreak like we thought he would…he figured out that Robin's up in the Prince's chambers instead! We can possibly get the prisoners out in time, but we'll _never_ reach Robin! _Now_ what are we gonna do?"

"Let's get in there!" Roxas suggested.

"No!" Sora whispered down. "Hold your positions, you two! We need to help the prisoners escape first! They're not as quick as Robin Hood is! Stay right where you are and wait for my signal! We can't risk blowing this thing open any wider than it's already just been blown! We're everybody's trump card in this poker game!"

"But, Sora!" Roxas shot back up. "The stakes have been raised higher than we can call _or_ raise them! This game's over!"

"So what if the stakes have been raised? Big deal! We can't blow the bluff now, even if part of the hand's been shown! Stay put!"

"But, _they need us!_" The Master of the KeyStaff hissed angrily.

Sora bared his fangs aggressively. "You're right, Roxas! They _do_ need us! To _stay out here!_"

Naomé had just about had it with Sora and Roxas's squabbling. _Sheesh! "Go in!" "Don't go in!" "Go in!" "Don't go in!" Gods! How about we make this work out for everybody and I just go in by myself so you two can hold your positions and open the door instead?_ Her thought brought another idea to mind. _Hmmm…maybe I should do that anyway…it'll definitely knock Sora down a peg or two…I know I promised Roxas that I would never run away again, but this technically doesn't count…_

In a sudden cunning maneuver, Naomé ran along the outer wall of the castle in such a way that Sora and Roxas couldn't see her. Then, taking to the trees like Sora had, she leaped nimbly onto the battlements, and then down into the Courtyard. Hugging up against the inner wall, Naomé stalked her way towards the door leading to the Dungeon Tower, Friar Tuck's staff held tightly in her hands. With the Sherriff by the door, Little John could never get the prisoners out to safety! She needed to free the prisoners first, and then find her way to Robin Hood! She needed to allow the prisoners an escape route, one that was free of guards!

In the midst of their heated argument, Roxas suddenly noticed a flash out of the corner of his eye. Turning his gaze to look at it, he instantly felt himself grow cold with fear. _Naomé! Sora and I were so busy arguing that she snuck off and got inside the castle! What in the name of Kingdom Hearts is she doing?_

"Sora!" Roxas growled. "Look at what you made happen! Naomé went inside anyway!"

"_What?_" Sora choked. "No way! She wouldn't have done that!"

Roxas pointed through the gate. "Guess again, Key Boy! Take a look and tell me what you see!"

Sora's head nearly whipped off of its place on his neck as he saw Naomé sneaking up around the corner of the main section of the castle, her quarterstaff readied to knock the Sherriff out in one good blow to the back of the head. He was about to yell out to her to hold off on her attack when he suddenly saw her logic behind her stealthy strike. The Sherriff was standing by the door Little John would need to use to get the prisoners to safety!

"Roxas! Naomé may be inside, but she saw something that we both missed!"

"What's that?"

"The Sherriff! He's by the dungeon door! How are the prisoners going to get out without being seen and having the guards set upon them before they even take one step outside, eh?"

Roxas suddenly saw Sora's point as he watched Naomé make her move. He flinched as Naomé brought the butt of the staff into play, knocking the Sherriff with a sharp rap to the base of the skull. When he staggered, she then used the full force of the staff's power by swinging it like she would were it a baseball bat, hitting that same spot with a sharp _CRACK!_ The Sherriff instantly dropped to the ground, unconscious. "Whoa! She's _good!_"

"Whoa!" Sora gagged. "I wouldn't have believed that if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes!" He yelled out to Naomé as loudly as he dared. "Hey, Naomé! I thought you said you didn't have any weapons skills, woman?"

"Not like you guys do, I don't!" Naomé called back. "I've had my share of fights, though. That was a trick I learned back on the Key Islands. The effect is most devastating with a metal pipe, but in this case a oaken staff will do just fine. You guys had better be ready to open that gate, because once the prisoners start running, you've gotta close it behind them right quick!"

A sudden shout made them stop dead in their tracks.

"_Jailbreak!_"

Whirling around, Naomé saw that Trigger had snuck up on _her_, and now his crossbow was aimed right at her heart! She felt that now endangered heart race in shock. _Blasphemies!_

"_Naomé!_" Sora and Roxas cried in terror.

"Don't move, fox!" Trigger warned her, cocking the trigger on "Betsy."

What Trigger, Sora, and Roxas didn't know was that Naomé had faced (and had obviously survived) being threatened with firearms at close range. What happened next none of them could've ever seen coming. In fact, it was so fast that it was amazing that any of them could've seen it at all.

Naomé slid to the ground and lashed out with her left foot across her body, rolling over onto her right side as she tripped Trigger in a clean sweep. Then, as his feet left the ground, Naomé brought the same foot roaring back in the opposite direction, taking the side of her boot to his lower jaw, sending him reeling. Then, using the momentum of her backwsing, Naomé rolled over onto her left leg and whipped her right leg out in a vicious snap kick to the side of "Betsy," knocking it clean out of Trigger's hands and flying towards the other end of the courtyard.

Trigger was at a loss. He'd lost his weapon, not to mention had been hit twice in less than five seconds (three if he counted being disarmed)! Without his weapon, he was defenseless! He wondered if maybe being disarmed meant that he would no longer be considered a threat, and as such would be spared any further punishment.

But, unfortunately for him, Naomé wasn't done with him yet. Again, she used the momentum of her leg whipping her around to gain an advantage in combat, this time by rolling back over onto her right side and swinging out with _both_ feet together, smashing Trigger painfully in the side with the force of two-by-four hitting a flying brick. This super-powered attack sent the vulture deputy flying to his left, crashing head-first into the wall and slumping to the ground next to the Sherriff, stark out.

Roxas saw Nutsy come charging up behind Naomé, his pike leveled at her unprotected back. He shouted out to her in warning, secrecy forgotten as he realized they no longer had any reason to keep silent. After all, the signal _had_ been given for "jailbreak." "Naomé! Look out! Behind you!"

The last move against Trigger had granted Naomé the force necessary to roll back up onto her feet. Taking a chance, Naomé rolled to her right, the head of the pike sliding just inches past the middle of her back. Without stopping to think, she thrust down at an angle and across her body, locking her staff beneath the length of the pike. With a quick jerk of her left wrist, she used the staff like a lever, popping the pike up from its leveled position so that she could sneak in and attack. Quick as lightning, Naomé immediately unleashed two sharp snap kicks with her right leg, one at Nutsy's knees to buckle them backwards, and then swinging back and then up again at his head level.

Naomé decided she needed to disarm Nutsy like she had done to Trigger. Besides, if the Friar was one of the prisoners escaping, he would need his staff to fight with. She'd recalled her staff was still up in the air and blocking Nutsy's pike, and she realized in that moment what she needed to do to finish him off. She started as if she was going to go into a cartwheel, the quarterstaff locking the pike's length underneath itself, causing the weapon to be pulled to the ground due to her weight being a driving force on top of it.

Nutsy staggered from his weapon pulling him off-balance. He was totally unprepared for what happened next. Naomé had thrown herself to the ground, and was now rolling over onto her upper back. When she was about halfway around, she swung out with both legs straight like she had when she'd faced Trigger, hitting the side of his head like they were a club. He got sent crashing into the wall and fell limply next to his brother. Naomé completed the maneuver against him by rolling over the rest of the way onto her back and then jumping up into a crouch, the pike caught between her body and the quarterstaff.

Sora and Roxas howled with laughter as Naomé stood up and showed them that she did indeed have the pike in her possession. She gave them a wry smirk as she took the pike in her left hand and made a sweeping bow to them, almost as if she'd just finished a performance.

Little John came rushing out behind Naomé, a throng of prisoners in tow. He gave her a smile and tipped her a wink. "Good fighting there, Naomé! It's good to see you! Where've you been, vixen?"

"I'll explain later, Little John. It's good to see you too," Naomé replied. She saw Friar Tuck and tossed him his beloved quarterstaff. "Here, Friar. I think this belongs to you?"

Friar Tuck smiled back at her. "Yes, it is! Thank you, Naomé, for taking care of it for me."

"You're welcome. Actually, _I_ should thank _you_, since it was _your_ staff that helped me knock out the guards. I know that this will sound wrong, but if it were not for you losing it, I wouldn't have had a way to stop the Sherriff, Trigger, and Nutsy."

"Ah, well. No problem. I'm just glad to have it back."

"Guards! To the jail!"

Little John growled. "Rats! The brat's set the guards on us!"

"Leave them to me," Naomé replied. "Get everybody out, Little John! Roxas, open the gates! Sora, get in here and give me a hand while Roxas makes sure that everyone gets out!"

Sora made a lightning-quick leap over the battlements and onto a stack of barrels below him. He flourished his Keyblade in a dramatic twirl. "Comin', Naomé!" He charged the oncoming guards, whirling his Keyblade over his head. "Yahoo! You better get outta my way, or else you're gonna find yourselves hurting tomorrow morning! _Nobody_ stands in the way of Sora Kasasagi, Master of the Keyblade!"

"A little arrogant this morning, are we, Sora?" Naomé called at her friend as he raced past her in a blur of golden brown fur and light ocean blue eyes.

Sora laughed as he took on three wolf guards at once. He leveled the Keyblade with his shoulders, braced the end of the weapon with his other hand, and ran full-forced into the guards, bulling them over onto their backs. He whirled around to give Naomé a cocky smile. "Why not? Never hurt anybody!"

Roxas closed the gate behind the last of the prisoners. "Little John! Get the prisoners back to the Church of Divine Providence! Sora, Kaze, Naomé, and I will help Robin get outta here! Go! And don't forget to lock the doors when you get there!"

KazeRyu had thrown himself head on against a pack of spear-wielding wolves. He'd abandoned using SaigaSama in favor of teeth, claws, and body. He showed off his awesome strength by snapping spears in half with well-placed kicks and punches. He then surprised his enemies when he wrenched the weapon from the hands of one of the guards and began using it like he would were it his sword, whirling it and swinging it about his body as he took out the entire group, knocking them all flat.

With a disgusted snort, KazeRyu snapped the spear in half over his knee and threw the splintered pieces to the ground. "You lot are disgusting," He grunted. "And to think that I share your form. You shame everything there is about a being a wolf. Stay down on the ground like the puppies you are, and do not get up until this is all over!"

The wolves were hardly in a position to argue, as most of them had been knocked out and the others were too dazed to be of any threat. KazeRyu gave them one final snort of derision before heading over to help Naomé, Sora, and Roxas take on the rhinoceros guardsmen.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Throne Room_

Robin knew he was in trouble when he saw the wolf guards come barreling into the Throne Room, spears held level with his midsection. He took three steps in an attempt to rush them, then nimbly dodge to his left and leaped up over their heads by using a table as a diving board. He grabbed the sword from one of the suits of armor that were standing at attention behind the throne, then scrabbled his way onto the throne itself and began wielding the sword against several of the guards.

"Out of my way, you pests! I'll handle Robin Hood!"

The sound of the voice made Robin laugh outright. "Well, well, well! If it isn't his high and mighty Lordship, the Sherriff of Nottingham!" He mockingly doffed his cap and bowed to him. "And to what do I owe this occasion?"

"You are under arrest for breaking into the Royal Castle, grand larceny, and high treason to the Crown!" The Sherriff replied, slashing at the air with his own sword. His beady yellow eyes gleamed with hatred from beneath shaggy brows. "Prepare yourself, Robin Hood! You are mine!"

"Oh I am, am I?" Robin replied, booting a guard aside. "And how do you propose about capturing me? I've seen your swordsmanship! It's pretty shoddy!"

The Sherriff leered nastily as a throng of Heartless loomed up behind him in a Darkness-spawned horde. He cackled as he saw Robin's face pale in horror. "Oh, believe me, Robin, there's plenty of ways to overcome so simple a handicap as mediocre swordsmanship skills. The Heartless seem to be a perfectly fine alternative to me."

Robin realized that he was now _way_ outnumbered. The Heartless were stacked upon one another just behind the Sherriff's back, turning into a wall of shadows with glowing yellow-amber eyes and eerie chittering. He could sense that there was something else amiss, as well…some sixth sense was telling him that there was more danger in store for him than just being trapped in the Royal Castle with the Sherriff of Nottingham and the Heartless…

_Much_ worse…

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

Roxas heard the strange giggle-like noises coming from over by the entrance into the castle itself, and he paled when he managed to catch sight of the roiling black wall of Heartless that had the Sherriff hiding in their midst. "Sora! Look out! There' tons of Heartless over there! Looks like they might've cornered Robin in there, too!"

Sora growled and gritted out a few bits of choice language between milky white fangs. "Blast it! I think you're right! Naomé! Let's go! Roxas, you and KazeRyu handle the guards!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Roxas fired back. "_You_ fight the guards, and _I_ will go with Naomé to save Robin and get rid of the Heartless! You got to be the hero last time around! Now it's _my_ turn!"

"You stupid freak of nature!" Sora yelled. "You're putting her in danger!"

"She may not be trained to use a weapon, but you just saw yourself that she can use her _body_ as good as you can use your Keyblade!" He turned to Naomé and jerked his head towards the castle. "C'mon, Naomé! Let's go bash some Heartless heads!"

Naomé grinned darkly in anticipation as she shifted the pike around in her hands. "I'm ready when you are, Roxas! Let's go get 'em!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Throne Room_

Robin thought he heard shouting. He and the Sherriff both paused from crossing swords to hear what was going on and were amazed to see the furthermost rear row of Heartless being sent skyward like soot being stirred in a fireplace amidst the flashing of silver-white, ebony black, and gleaming steel.

"_Charge!_" Roxas's thunderous bellow echoed in the Throne Room as he and Naomé came vaulting over the "wall" by using the KeyStaff and the pike like twin pole vaults. He viciously kicked a Soldier that'd come flying at him in the face, rocketing it backwards into a pile of Shadows and basically flattening the entire flock.

"Naomé!" Robin said, shocked to see the Second Keybearer wielding a pike in defense of herself. He grinned at her and wagged a finger in mock admonition in her direction. "Where in the name of Kingdom Hearts have you been, young lady?"

"To make a long story short, Robin, I had a bit of an adventure," Naomé said with a crafty smile. _Not to mention met the person that you claim allegiance to. King Richard, would be most pleased to see that at least _somebody's_ fighting back._

Roxas gave Robin a grin as he kicked another Soldier in the face. "Robin, you missed the action outside! Naomé clobbered the Sherriff, Trigger, and Nutsy as if they were bugs!"

The Sherriff glowered icily at Naomé. "Ah-ha! So, _you're_ the one that cracked me and sent me back to sleep, eh?"

"Yes, I did!" Naomé said with an evil smirk. "And let me tell you that you dropped just like the fat, ugly rock I envisioned you to be."

Roxas and Robin busted up laughing.

"You've got a mouth on you, vixen," The Sherriff snarled, swinging out at her with his sword in an attempt to chop her in half. He bared his fangs in a wicked smile at her when she dodged out of the way. "Didn't your mama ever teach you any manners, or was she as pig-headed as you are?" _Uh-oh,_ Roxas thought. _You shouldn't have said that, Sherriff…now you're_ definitely_ gonna get it! If Naomé's the kind of person I think she is, you're gonna _pay_ for what you just said!_

He was right. Naomé obviously didn't like the fact that the Sherriff had just insulted her mother, and she made him _pay_ for it. With a quick feint to the right to counter another swing of the whistling blade, Naomé jabbed out to her left with the pike, catching a hold of the Sherriff's sword arm at the elbow where the point and the crosstree of the head of the pike met. When she was certain of a solid hold, she gave the pike a quick quarter-turn to her left, almost like a key in a lock, popping the Sherriff's elbow and having the reflex action of his nerves fire and make him drop his sword.

Roxas gaped in shock as Naomé yanked the pike towards herself, causing the Sherriff to stumble like she'd made Nutsy do out in the Courtyard. The angle she'd tugged her weapon back in her direction had made it look like she was returning a staff to its "neutral" position while she was turning to her left side, but it also provided her with the perfect opening to unleash a nasty sideways snap kick the Sherriff's grizzled muzzle with a sickening _SMACK!_, sending him tumbling to the ground in a half-dazed state.

Naomé glowered fiercely at the downed Sherriff of Nottingham. "You dirty animal!" She snapped, baring her fangs aggressively. Her voice dropped to a ferocious snarl as she gave the downed Sherriff a hefty set of kicks to both of his sides. "_No one_ talks about my mother the way you just did and gets away with it! You're lucky what I've done to you is only _half_ of what I _usually_ would've done to someone who insulted my mother in such a way!"

"Why'd you hold back?" The Sherriff wheezed as he struggled to regain the breath that Naomé had just knocked out of him.

"Because I'm sure that Robin wants to have a little more fun with you, that's why," Growled the Second Keybearer as she looked up to see four rhinoceros guards come charging down the stairs at her, spears readied for a charge.

"Company's calling, Naome!" Roxas said with smirk.

Naomé returned the smirk with one of her own. "Lucky us, Roxas…we've got visitors. Wanna take them on together?"

Roxas laughed as he rushed past the Sherriff. "Why, Naomé, I thought you'd never ask!"

This made Naomé laugh as she leaped over her downed foe and followed after Roxas. "There, Robin! I softened the smelly old floor rug a little bit for you! By the by, you might want to get that sword of his out of range! You'd do a lot better with an advantage like that over him!"

"Will do, Naomé! Don't clobber those idiots upstairs too hardly now!" Robin teased as she dashed up the stairs and towards Prince John's Chambers. "And don't let that cub out of his nursery until I go back up to put him down for his nap with his snaky teddy bear!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

"I was waiting for these things to show up again!" Sora gritted as he cut a path through a tightly grouped pack of Soldiers and Shadows towards the Throne Room. He snarled menacingly as they pulled back together even tighter than before and surged forwards in an attempt to push him back. "Argh! I can't seem to get _anywhere_ with these pesky little insects! _Grrrr…_get out of my way, Heartless!" He roared, suddenly shifting into his Valor Form, the Hero's Crest Keyblade magically situating itself in his left hand.

KazeRyu seemed to sense Sora's sudden shift in power, and he whirled around just in time to see the Master of the Keyblade go screaming into the Heartless that were giving him so much trouble, both Keyblades flashing like lightning in the early rays of the morning sun. His eyes widened in shock as Sora came blasting up through the scores of Shadows, Soldiers and Lance Soldiers scattering everywhere like debris from an explosion.

"Impressive," The celestial werewolf warrior said as the hot-eyed Master of the Keyblade paused for just a moment to regain control of his boiling temper. He gave him an amused cock of an eyebrow, his subtle and rarely ever seen indication of approval. "I was not aware you had other supernatural abilities."

Sora gave KazeRyu a wild grin. "They're called Drive Forms, and I _love 'em!_" He laughed. "Out of the four that I have, my Master Form and this one, my Valor Form, are my favorites!"

"Why so?"

"Because of the fact that I can use two Keyblades at once! Being armed with that kind of power means I can give someone double the pounding in half the time!" He sidestepped a Lance Soldier's thrust, then gave it a double-whammy with the Kingdom Key and Hero's Crest Keyblades. "Also, my Master Form allows me to use my magic abilities, too!"

KazeRyu frowned in genuine concern. Something about what Sora said did not sit comfortably with him. "Sora, does that Form you are in right allow you to use magic, as well?"

Sora shook his head. "No. In my Valor Form, I sacrifice my ability to use magic in trade for greater attack power. Not having the magic sucks, but when I can whoop somebody twice as fast as normal, then the trade-off doesn't seem quite so bad." He gave KazeRyu a cocky half-smile. "I just have to stay on my toes a little bit more than usual, that's all. I always thought of it as good practice for defending myself better, anyway."

"I can see your point," KazeRyu replied as he took SaigaSama to a Shadow that'd tried lunging at him like a tiny little ninja with its shadowy talons bared like several pointy shurikens. He blinked as some of the ashy, soot-like substance that appeared when a Heartless was defeated puffed into his eyes, temporarily clouding his vision.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Throne Room_

Robin Hood leaped off of the throne just as the Sherriff charged, the portly wolf knocking the royal chair over as he bulled clumsily into it. He turned to escape, only to see that the path was blocked by Heartless and the Sherriff's guards.

"Rats!" Robin hissed under his breath. "There's no way out but up! Oh, well…at least I can always jump into the moat and swim for it. Of course…oh, for the love of King Richard! The best way out is through Prince John's chambers! That means that I'm going to have to go back upstairs? Just wonderful…"

Nimbly leaping over a spear thrown at him, the cunning fox outlaw took the stairs that lead back up to Prince John's chambers. He tripped one of the rhinoceros guards that tried to block his path, sending the hefty beast rolling and tumbling down the stairs like a barrel down a ramp and into the reinforcements below. With a final, flourishing flip, he tumbled beneath the legs of a second guardsman before dashing up into the tower after Roxas and Naomé.

Back in the Throne Room, the Sherriff of Nottingham kicked the two rhino guards aside. "Out of my way, thickheads!" He snapped. "See what you've done? You let Robin Hood make a break for it!"

The wolf guards tried to plow ahead, but were suddenly stopped by Roxas coming flying back down the stairs in a lightning-like flash, roaring an explosive battle cry. Spears met KeyStaff in a vicious cacophony of steel striking steel, ringing like chimes in the wind.

Keeping his back against the wall, the Sherriff stole off into the tower stairs. Grabbing the torch that lit the stairway, he shifted his grip on his sword as he dashed up after Robin, who was at least half of the tower ahead of him.

"This time we've got him for sure!" The Sherriff laughed to himself as he held the torch up like a victory pennant. "He'll never leave this castle alive!"

Back downstairs, Roxas managed to break through to the middle of the room and meet up with Sora and KazeRyu. He laughed as he saw Sora come screaming in in his Valor Form, both Keyblades whirling around the Keyblade Master like the wings of a hurricane and with him as the eye. Enemies where tossed into the air and slashed to pieces, slammed down and pinned to the stone floor, or blasted away and finished off by a swift swing or two from KazeRyu.

"It's about time you showed up!" Roxas teased as he stood back-to-back with Sora. "I was getting worried that you'd miss the party!"

"What? Roxas, you scruffy, dumpster-diving vermin!" Sora laughed. "You were gonna have the party without me? How inconsiderate of you, you striped wretch! If you weren't such a good fighter, I'd take you out myself!"

Roxas snickered. "Save it for the Heartless! There's a lot more of then than there are of me! You'd have _loads_ more fun taking out a wave of those fiendish little creatures than getting rid of your friend! A dozen Heartless rise for every one that falls…friends are irreplaceable!"

"You don't have to remind me of that one," Sora replied, raising his Keyblades to block a rhinoceros guardsman's battleaxe. He looked back over his shoulder at Roxas and smiled, light ocean blue eyes glittering with excitement and pride. "It's because of my friends I'm still here! I'll always remember that…_always!_"

_Kingdom Heartless - Book 3: Beast's Castle and Sherwood Forest_


	34. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Trial By Fire

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Drawing Room_

"Robin! Why did you follow me?"

Robin Hood paused as he saw Naomé a few feet ahead of him, her gray eyes wide in shock. He flashed her a smile. "Why, I couldn't resist another little peek of the castle before I make my beautifully brilliant escape, my dear! You should know me to be that kind of creature!"

Naomé sniggered. "Right. I forgot that you're the kind of creature that people back in my home referred to as a total show-off." She suddenly stared in shock over Robin's left shoulder. The Sherriff had mounted the last stair in the tower, sword drawn and readied, and a blazing torch in his off-hand. He gave her a wicked smile as he snuck up on Robin, raising his weapon to strike.

But the fox outlaw sensed impending danger in conjunction with the sight of the glowing amber aura of the fire lighting Naomé's golden fur with a slight orangey sheen. Whirling, he swung out with his sword in the same move, effectively blocking the Sherriff's swing, which was directed straight for his neck at a level at which his head would be easily removed from his neck. "Missed me, puppy dog!" He laughed.

The Sherriff relinquished his lock with Robin's sword, parried against Robin's stab, and then lunged forward with a stab of his own. He sent the sword spinning out of Robin's hand and aimed right for his heart…

_KRANG!_

Shivers of pain coursed through the Sherriff of Nottingham's right arm. Naomé had stabbed out with the pike, cleverly locking his sword between the crosstree and the blade of her weapon. His jaw dropped in shock as Naomé disarmed him with a quick deft twist of her wrist, his blade spiraling out of his talons, back over his shoulder, and clattering down the tower stairs and back towards the Throne Room below.

Robin gave Naomé a proud smile. "Well done!" He congratulated her.

The Sherriff didn't seem so pleased, however. Snarling in anger, he swung out with the torch in a wide arc, catching one of the aged tapestries nearby with flaming sparks and setting it ablaze.

Naomé gasped. This was the first time she'd seen fire up close and personal outside of the safety of a fireplace or Firaga spell. She felt the animal's instinctive fear of fire creep up on her, urging her to flee, but she firmly stood her ground and stared in shock as the flames sped up the side of the fabric, sending smoke into the musty air.

"Hold still, outlaw!" The Sherriff snarled as he tried to strike Robin. The copper-colored fox pulled back and dropped down onto all fours, the torch just missing the tips of his ears, making the grizzled wolf even angrier. He lashed out again and again with the torch, oblivious that he was setting curtains, pillows, chairs, and anything else that was within arm's length of his swings on fire.

"Naomé! Get out of here!" Robin ordered. "This is no place for a lady!"

"I can't!" Naomé replied. "The Sherriff's blocking the exit! I can't get out!"

Robin cursed under his breath as he dodged another fiery blast, this one towards his midsection. He could easily see that Naomé's observation was very astute: the Sherriff _was_ blocking their only exit down and away from the growing roar of the flames. They were all trapped in the blazing maw of the fiery beast the Sherriff had unleashed on the Royal Castle, forced to run for the nearest exit, which could be just about anywhere. There was just one problem, though…they were now three stories up in the air…a missed jump, even by a few inches, would be deadly.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Throne Room_

KazeRyu thought he smelled smoke. Looking up over the wolf guard he'd just downed, he noticed with terror that smoke was starting to filter its way down from the tower up above them, along with the sound of crackling flames as they consumed just about anything they could get their flaming fingers on.

Roxas, too, noticed the scent of smoke on the air. He traded a wide-eyed look with Sora, who merely nodded numbly at the thought that'd stolen unbidden into both of their heads:

_Naomé's up in the tower! She's trapped!_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Library_

"Hurry, Robin! This way! Follow me!"

Stumbling over the threshold to the Library, Robin Hood bolted ahead of the flames and slammed the door in the invisible face of the conflagration. Gasping for fresh air, he turned to Naomé. "Well, that's done it, Naomé. You lead us to temporary safety, at least." He gave her a broad grin. "You know, it was kind of nice to lock the Sherriff out. I can almost hear him cursing his addled old brains out as he's making his way over here."

Naomé nodded as she swallowed harshly. "I'm sure he is. But, you know what, Robin? I just realized that I really haven't done us any favors. The Library isn't exactly the place to hide from a fire. Everything in here is able to go up in flames with the slightest spark. I locked us in a literal fire trap! It's only a matter of time before the flames break through those doors and turn this place into an inferno!"

Robin shook his head and gave her a disarming smile. "Actually, Naomé, you're a little off target. See those doors over there?"

"Yeah. So what? We're still trapped!"

"Well, from what I understand, those lead to another hallway that goes to another part of the castle. Where, I'm not exactly sure, but I'll risk anything to avoid being roasted alive. Plus, it'll buy us some time to make our escape."

"That and keep us a few steps ahead of the fire," Naomé remarked.

Robin nodded. "Right! Back on target, Naomé! So, let's try those doors out!"

Naomé did a very unladylike motion of spitting into both hands and rubbing them together. Glaring at the door, she grabbed the wrought iron handles and pulled as hard as she could…

And only succeeded in popping both of her shoulders back into alignment. The doors remained in their original place, as though locked tight.

Swearing horrible oaths under her breath, Naomé backed up a few paces and mentally aimed for just above the door latches. Then, growling furiously, she bolted forward in a vicious charge. When she was close enough, she lashed out with a powerful snap kick, intentionally changing the direction of her foot so that the sole of her boot struck instead of her toes.

_BANG!_

The doors rattled, but remained shut.

"What happened?" Robin asked.

"The stupid doors are locked tight!" Naomé snarled. "I'm going to try and kick my way through! Keep an eye on the doors over there, Robin! I'm not gonna give up, even if I shatter all the bones in both of my legs! I want to get away from that pesky Sherriff, and I _especially_ want to be as far away from those flames as possible!"

Naomé emitted another growl and attempted the kick again, this time backing up a few steps further than before. She grunted as her foot hit the latches dead on, the vibration going shivering up her leg and into her back. With her leg smarting, she switched to the opposite leg and tried again, this time striking the door above the latches and busting them halfway open.

Robin warily eyed the door. He could hear the Sherriff trying to bash his way into the Library in much the same way he and Naomé were trying to get out. But, _un_like Naomé, the Sherriff wasn't in as good a condition, and so for him to duplicate the Second Keybearer's efforts took much more exertion than it did for her.

_WHAM!_

With a laugh of triumph, Naomé successfully kicked through the locked doors, sending them flying open to reveal a corridor that vanished into another set of spiraling stairs. _Obviously into another tower,_ She thought.

The fox outlaw of Sherwood Forest was impressed. "Well done, Naomé! Come on, young lady! Let's get ourselves out of the fire and away from the frying pan! I don't want to be cooked anymore than I have to, and I prefer to be not at all!"

"You and me both," Naomé agreed under her breath as she closed the doors. Once she was sure that they were secure, she turned and followed Robin Hood down the passage and up the stairs, away from the Library, the Sherriff of Nottingham, and the oven that the pinheaded wolf had created.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Throne Room_

"Get _away!_" Roxas screamed, taking the KeyStaff to two wolf guardsmen. He locked their spear points in the open hilts of the Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keyblades, then gave the KeyStaff a deft twist that yanked the spears right out of the taloned hands of his adversaries. Flinging the weapons away, Roxas swung out left and right, taking out a guard with each swing.

"Nice going!" Sora congratulated Roxas as he surprised one of the rhinoceros guards with a tricky maneuver of his own. As the guard stabbed out at him with a longspear, Sora twirled aside in a flashy dodge. He reassumed his Valor Form while at the same time bringing the Kingdom Key and the reappearing Hero's Crest Keyblades down in a whistling arc, smashing the weapon in half. Then, he completed the trick by going into another powerful twirl without stopping to adjust his position, the two Keyblades describing a circle that came from down by his ankles and cut up from his left waist to over the right side of his head. Both weapons collided with the jaw of his amazed foe, knocking them spark out.

Roxas laughed. "Look who's talking! You've got some pretty nice moves there yourself, Keyblade Master! What do you call what you just did? Parlor tricks? Guess again!"

KazeRyu skillfully executed an aerial back flip that brought him between the two Warriors of the Keyblade. "That fire upstairs is getting worse," He commented dryly to them. "If we are to go up there and help Naomé escape, then we need to get a move on up those stairs. I believe that we have wasted enough time fighting these fools. The Heartless and their animal friends are giving us a good fight, a much better attempt than back at Roslyn Castle, but it is just another divisionary tactic to keep us away from our real goal."

"Yeah, but how are we gonna get to those stairs?" Sora retorted. "Say 'excuse me?' Hah! Don't think so! The Heartless don't understand 'please' and 'thank you' very well! What makes you think that 'excuse me' will work?"

"No, Sora!" Roxas replied. "You've got a point there, but maybe we don't have to work so hard! KazeRyu's more than strong enough! I know it sounds like we're taking advantage of him here, but maybe he can find a way to break through for us! We all know that SaigaSama can do some pretty impressive stuff!" He gave KazeRyu a lopsided smirk. "So, whaddaya say, Kaze? Feel like showing off a bit?"

The celestial werewolf warrior gave Roxas a fanged smile. "With pleasure, my young friend! Watch out!" He sidestepped Roxas and a small throng of Shadow Heartless that'd tried to charge them down so as to get a better position for his upcoming attack. "I have not shown you two _this_ little ace that I have up my sleeve! Watch this! _Fangs of Fury!_"

Sora and Roxas gaped in shock as KazeRyu's Devastating Howl attack suddenly split into a three-pronged strike that cut through the ranks of foes like a roaring wind. In fact, the power of the move was so strong that it seemed that the air in the castle had reversed direction, instead screaming out the doors behind the two of them. The hurricane-force wind nearly knocked them clean off their feet!

"Come on!" KazeRyu called back over his shoulder as he dashed to the tower ahead of him. "The reflective power of the winds will not last for long! If we are to escape into the tower ourselves and save Naomé from being burned alive, then we must move now! Hurry!"

Both Warriors of the Keyblade gave each other a surprised look as they ran for the tower. KazeRyu's winds were powerful! It was no wonder he was called the "Wind Dragon!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

Robin felt like a total fool. The passage that he and Naomé had discovered had taken them straight into Prince John's chambers, and the childish Prince had been waiting for him to come back!

"What's the matter, Robin?" Prince John cackled. "Lost, are you?" He gave the fox outlaw a sarcastic smile. "Don't worry, my friend…you'll find your way…to the dungeons!"

"Fat chance, Puss in Boots!"

Prince John looked away from Robin just in time to see Naomé appear out of the shadows and catch him with a sharp shoulder to the chest, winding him and pushing him onto the floor. He whimpered in dismay as Naomé picked his sword with her pike and flicked it out the window and over the balcony.

Naomé's eye glittered in fury as she took the point of the pike and pinned Prince John to the floor by placing it against his throat with a slight pressure applied. "Stay right where you are, you overdressed kitten! Your little games are over!"

"They are, vixen! And you've lost!"

A blast of heat came from behind Naomé. Trusting her instincts, she ducked and stabbed back over her shoulder with the butt of the pike. Glancing back for a moment, she saw that the Sherriff had tried to set her on fire from behind, only to stumble forward because she ducked and for the fact that she'd hit him in the stomach with the pike.

Robin knew something was wrong, though. He'd seen that the Sherriff had thrown the torch in hopes of catching Naomé off guard. Scanning the room quickly, he saw that the torch had rolled underneath the bed.

_FWOOOOSSSHHH!_

Prince John looked over and shrieked in terror at the sight of his bed igniting into flames. He snapped his icy glower at the Sherriff, who was being held back by Robin so Naomé could hold the childish Prince down. "Sherriff, you smelly old couch! Look at what you've gone and done! You set my bedroom on fire! If I could get my paws on you, you'd be dead in an instant! Those were the sheets my mother gave me for my birthday!"

The fire got worse in a very short amount of time. Stupidly, Prince John had decorated his chambers with various tapestries, plush floor rugs, and all kinds of wood furniture, all of which carried the flames without a moment's hesitation. It was only within the span of a couple short minutes that the entire chamber was alight.

Naomé shot a look at Robin, who nodded at her. At a silent signal, the Second Keybearer leapt back and away from Prince John, relinquishing her pin on him. But, as the Prince rose to try and subdue her, she rolled to one side as Robin hurled the Sherriff at the infantile sovereign. Wolf and lion collided and fell to the floor in a tangled heap.

The Sherriff growled in anger as the two foxes vanished the way they'd come, rushing back downstairs into the Library and the flames. His beady yellow eyes narrowed in cold fury. "Curses! And I almost had them, too!"

"Never mind that you _almost_ caught them, you fool!" Prince John snarled. "It doesn't matter how close you got! They're getting away! Now, g_et off of me and get them!_ Save the vixen for me, though! She's going to pay with that dumb raccoon that's hiding out somewhere for holding me hostage!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Drawing Room_

Sora leaped nimbly through the flames that blocked off the entryway, his timely save sparing him the horrible fate of being trapped beneath a smoldering curtain rail that'd once held a gloriously embroidered tapestry up on the wall. He landed in the middle of a "safe spot," an area that wasn't covered in flames due to its not having anything flammable near it, and called back to Roxas. "Careful, Rox! It's an oven up here! Don't burn your tail off!"

"Got it!" Roxas replied, suddenly appearing in the doorway. Using the KeyStaff like he would a pole vault, Roxas flew over the fire. Giving his beloved weapon a smart flick in mid-flight, he caught the floor with the other end and covered another several feet, his smart thinking bringing him right next to Sora. "Phew! That was something I've done before! Where's KazeRyu?"

"Over here," KazeRyu said, waving to his friends. "This way, you two! There is a set of stairs here that leads up to another chamber upstairs! I have a feeling that we are getting close to the room of the Prince! Naomé might be up there by now!"

"She could be anywhere!" Sora hollered over the crackling inferno as he cast his Aeroga to protect himself from the flames. "That's why we came up here! We came to find her!"

Roxas cast his own Aeroga, the reciting of the spell's name suddenly making him become _very_ worried. _Naomé doesn't have Aeroga…not even the basic Aero! She's in trouble in this fire! Aero spells can protect against smoke…the swirling air keeps it away from me, so I don't have to worry about breathing it in for a little while. But, since Naomé doesn't have that, how long will she have before the smoke becomes too much and suffocates her?_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Library_

Naomé came to a screeching halt several feet before the doors that she'd closed when she and Robin had tried to escape the Sherriff and the fire. Since the Sherriff had left the doors open in his rush to go after them, the flames had come roaring into the passage, tumbling along like an advancing army of embers. The entire Library was gleaming with amber light, ceiling shrouded by thick black smoke that nearly choked her.

Robin stopped right next to Naomé. "Gods! The entire castle's going up in flames! And what's worse is that we can't get out the way we came in! We're going to have to head back to Prince John's Chambers and try to find a way out of there!"

"Great," Naomé replied, rolling her eyes. "And we have to go back up there with the Sherriff, too! Just wonderful…_not!_"

"I'd rather face the Sherriff and Prince John rather than be burned alive," Robin said. "At least I know how to fight those two bumpkins upstairs. A fire I can't fight so easily. Look s like we're going back up, Naomé. Come on!"

Naomé felt fear choke her, although she wondered if it was possibly the smoke that was coming into the hallway. Did Sora, Roxas, and KazeRyu get out of the castle safely? Did they get the prisoners out a safe distance away from the castle? Did all she have to worry about was getting out of there herself?

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

"We can't just leave Naomé in there!" Roxas shouted at KazeRyu as the three of them ran out of the burning Throne Room and into the Courtyard. "Her and Robin will be toasted like marshmallows over a campfire!"

Sora chimed in. "We're abandoning Naomé, KazeRyu! She would _never_ abandon us! If she were out here and we were in there, she'd be coming back in after us without another thought! Why aren't we going in there to help her? This isn't right! We've _got_ to go back in there and get her and Robin Hood out of there right now!"

"Look!" KazeRyu snarled, whirling on his heels. "We can not go back in there, you two! The fire is too dangerous to try and go through! Over half of the castle is burning! We will get trapped if we stay in there!"

"That's the point!" Roxas yowled. "_Naomé's_ trapped in there! She can't get out, Wind Dragon! How is she supposed to get out when there's no other way? Stand there and wait to die? No freakin' way! That's not the way that Naomé thinks! But, I don't want to have to make her think for herself in this case! She needs our help, KazeRyu! And if you won't go in there and help her, then _I'll_ go in there and help her _myself!_"

KazeRyu didn't like the fact that Roxas was overriding his command. "Roxas, you stay right here! Get your striped carcass back out here this instant!"

Roxas vanished into the flames, oblivious of KazeRyu's calls for him to stop.

Sora watched Roxas go into the fire. He looked up at KazeRyu, his light ocean blue eyes churning with righteous anger in a face that was a frozen mask of ice-cold fury.

"Sora, you had better not dare do what I believe you are thinking about doing!" The celestial werewolf warrior snapped. "You go in there, you might never come out!"

"Screw you, Ryu!" Sora fired back. "You can stand out here with your tail tucked between your legs all you want, but I'm not abandoning my friends when they need me most! They never gave up on me…I'm _never_ gonna give up on them!" He raced after his friend the Master of the KeyStaff, calling the Kingdom Key Keyblade back into his hand. "Roxas! Hang on, buddy! I'm comin' with you! Don't leave me behind!"

KazeRyu frowned frostily as the Master of the Keyblade and the Master of the KeyStaff went dashing headlong into the burning castle. "You two mortals are the craziest pair of morons that I have ever known!" He yelled at them as he lost sight of their silhouettes. "It will be a miracle if you two are able to come back out of there alive!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

The two foxes that were trying to escape the Royal Castle knew they were surrounded by suicide on all sides. They could throw themselves into the embrace of the fire and be burned alive, surrender to the Sherriff and Prince John and be hung, or take the daunting risk of finding a way to jump out of the castle and (hopefully) to safety. It seemed that the odds were stacked against them, and there was no way out.

The Sherriff had decided to take Robin Hood and Naomé Windom on personally. He attacked them with a wild swing of the sword he'd borrowed from a nearby suit of knight's armor, making them both jump back into the stairwell. When he tried to stab at them, he tripped on one of the smoldering floor rugs, the blade slipping between Naomé and Robin as they leaped aside to either side of the stairs. With a yowl of shock and horror, the Sherriff crashed down the stairs, rolling into the flames of his own creation and out of attack range.

"You moron!" Prince John scoffed at the ousted wolfish Sherriff of Nottingham. "Leave this to proper warriors!" He grabbed a hold of a longspear from its hanging pegs on one of the walls, hefted it clumsily, and came shuffling towards Naomé and Robin with a half-hearted and rather childish war cry.

Naomé laughed as she blocked the spear with Nutsy's pike. "You? A 'proper warrior?' Forgive my mirth, My _False_ Majesty, but _I_ am more of a warrior than you are, and I haven't had any formal training as of yet!"

"You _dare_ mock the King of Sherwood Forest?" Prince John screeched. He suddenly gave a yelp of dismay as Naomé tugged on the spear with the pike, the heads of the weapons locking tightly so she could pull him closer. He felt his grip on the weapon shift ever so slightly, and he instantly knew that he was going to lose his protection. He'd already lost the Sherriff…a spear was far easier to get rid of than a fat wolf.

Naomé growled as she brought her foot smashing into Prince John's muzzle with a sickening _THUD!_, disarming him of his spear and getting him out of the way for them to escape out to his balcony in a single blow. Kicking the spear aside, her and Robin bolted out onto the balcony and looked for a way out.

"Here!" Robin said. He held up what appeared to be a thin but sturdy climbing rope. "Look at what I found, Naomé! This was the rope I used to get the gold out of here! We can use this to climb up to the top of the next tower! We should be safe from there! If we have to, we can use the rope to climb down the outside of the tower and escape into the moat! Come on!"

"How are we going to get it up there?" Naomé asked. "It's too high!"

"Not quite!" Robin replied. "I still have my bow and a couple shots left in my quiver! Give me that rope, and I'll tie it to one of my arrows and shoot it up into the tower roof! Hurry!"

Naomé handed the end of the rope over to Robin, who immediately tied it to an arrow. He quickly sighted along the shaft, and then fired away, the head of the arrow lodging itself firmly in the rooftop of the adjoining tower. She watched him tug on the rope to make sure that it was indeed secure.

Robin smiled. "All right! The arrow's stuck good! Now, let's get climbing!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Drawing Room_

"Blast!" Sora gritted as he and Roxas dug their heels in so as to stop before getting knocked out by a rod that was still holding a blazing tapestry. He swung out with the Keyblade to try and bat it out of the way, only to be surprised as Roxas stepped coolly beside him and gave the KeyStaff a strong upward swing, catching the rod and holding it up in the air.

Roxas looked down at Sora. "Get moving, Sora! I need to get this thing out of my way before it decides to roll off and scorch me!"

Sora whisked underneath the post, then turned around and batted at it as hard as he could, knocking it out of the grasp of the Oathkeeper Keyblade and back towards the tower stairs. "There! I got it out of the way for you! Now, where do you think Naomé and Robin could've gotten to?"

Pausing for just a moment, Roxas cocked an ear towards the ceiling. If he concentrated hard enough, he could just barely make out the rhythmical sound of swords striking each other above the crackling and roaring flames. "Sora! I think Robin and Naomé are upstairs! They must be fighting Prince John or the Sherriff! I didn't see either one of them down in the Throne Room! The Sherriff must've come after them, and now they're boxed in with Prince John!"

Sora dashed into the fire with an excited whoop, whirling the Keyblade over his head. "Then that's where we're going! C'mon, Roxas! We've got another fight waiting upstairs for us!"

"I'm right behind you!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - North Watchtower_

_Do these idiots ever _give up?

Naomé hacked away at the Sherriff's wolf guardsmen that'd pursued her and Robin from across the castle with the sword the Sherriff had dropped back on the stairs to Prince John's chamber. The rope that she and Robin had used to escape the burning interior so as to scale up the exterior was now her only salvation besides the heavy sword, which was difficult to use one-handed.

One of the guards swung out with his weapon to try and chop the rope in two, only to have Naomé clumsily defend with her weapon, steel sliding against steel like musical chimes. She struggled up a bit higher on the rope, gaining a few feet before she was forced to protect herself from the other guard that'd tried to take a swipe at her legs.

Growling, Naomé kicked out with one foot, hitting the guard smack in the nose, causing him to unwittingly lose his hold and go screaming to the Courtyard several stories below. She glanced back for just a moment to see the guardsman as he crashed into a stack of barrels, the force of his impact shattering both them and every bone in his body as he went lifeless and still.

"Ouch," The Second Keybearer sympathized. "That looked like it hurt," She mumbled as she grasped her sword between her teeth and scrambled up the rope as fast as she could, the other guard's blade just missing slicing off the tip of her tail.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Battlements_

Robin Hood, meanwhile, was pulling himself up onto the nearby Battlements so as to go dashing towards the West Watchtower and possible safety. He wove between guards of several varieties, leaped nimbly over Shadows and Soldiers that tried to trip him up, and bodily charged through charging Lance Soldiers without a second thought.

One sneaky rhinoceros guard tried to slice Robin in half with his poleax, only to have the clever fox outlaw use both the weapon and the guard as a ramp and gymnastics horse to go lunging across a good distance of the Battlements and over several reinforcements. Somersaulting to the ground, Robin whisked around another rhino guard while down on all fours, and with a bound gained the entrance to the West Watchtower. His coppery tail flashed in the early morning light as he vanished into the spiral staircase, keeping to the inside track so as to be untouchable by any thrown weapons that could possibly come his way.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - North Watchtower_

Back out on the North Watchtower, Naomé was having a hard time getting onto the Battlements and running after Robin. She wasn't lucky enough to have the guards be taken by surprise, as they were already alert because of Robin's sneaky maneuvering. Now, because they knew that Naomé was on the side of the outlaw, they weren't about to let her get away with sneaking around so easily.

"Dang it!" Naomé hissed under her breath, slithering through two wolves that'd tried to trap her with their spears. When they tried to stab her from behind, she ducked to let a Lance Soldier that'd been heading for her go in a leaping dive right over her head, its face eating the two spearheads and killing it in an instant.

Suddenly, an uproar broke out behind her. The North Watchtower was alight! The fire was chasing her and Robin through the Royal Castle! She heard captains crying out for buckets of water to be drawn from the nearby water barrels to try and extinguish the roaring flames that were out of control.

_Now's my chance!_ Naomé thought. She danced about through the confusion, the guards distracted from their goal of preventing her escape from their clutches, finally clearing the last two guards with hardly any trouble and rushed up after Robin Hood. While she was running, she yelled up into the tower:

"Robin! The watchtowers are going up in flames! If we're gonna move, we're gonna have to do it soon, or else we're gonna be roasted alive!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - West Watchtower_

_What? The fire's moving faster than I thought! What are we gonna do? Naomé and I have trapped ourselves up here! Wait…there's only one way down…I don't like to take the chance, but I'm afraid Naomé and I might not have any other choice aside from that…_

Robin scrambled out onto the roof of the West Watchtower, clambering to the top and holding onto the pole that the pennant was attached to. He prepared himself for a fight by taking his bow out of his quiver and fitting an arrow to it. Gritting his teeth at how his plan had backfired, he knew that there wasn't anymore time to try and sort out how to correct the problem. All he needed to do now was survive!

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Library_

Roxas kicked the smoldering doors to the Library aside, a horrific sight greeting his eyes. The Library was roaring even louder than the Drawing Room had been, with books, scrolls, maps, and various other works blazing like a million torches. The heat was also an impressive factor…Roxas actually found himself breaking out a sweat for the first time in the flaming castle.

Sora darted past, his sights catching movement in the stairs that'd been behind the two doors that Naomé had discovered earlier. Taking a neat leap over a burning overstuffed armchair, Sora rushed into the corridor and pounced on the unsuspecting Sherriff of Nottingham, who was trying to run back up to Prince John's Chambers.

"Where's Robin Hood and Naomé?" Sora snapped, using the pressure of his Keyblade to shove the Sherriff down into the heated stone floor, thus making the wolf squirm uncomfortably. "Tell me, you ugly old mutt, or else I'm gonna hold you here until you're scorched bald and your skin looks like it's sunburned! Start talking!"

The Sherriff gritted his teeth as he felt his body begin to tell him that he was starting to cook. "I last saw them upstairs, in Prince John's Chambers. They didn't come back down here, so they must be up there somewhere! I don't know what else to tell you, except that they probably won't get very far. From what I'm hearing upstairs, it sounds like the whole castle's turning into an oven!"

Sora slammed the Sherriff as hard as he could into the floor, making the wily wolf's back crack rather loudly. Leaping to his feet, Sora took to the stairs behind the Sherriff, the ones leading to Prince John's Chambers. "You stay right where you are, you mangy puppy! I'll deal with you once I finish with _His Majesty_ the Infiltrator!"

Groaning, the Sherriff went to rise to his feet, only to have Roxas come rushing up from behind him and trip him with the KeyStaff. For the second time in less than thirty seconds, the Sherriff found himself staring up at an enraged Warrior of the Keyblade, with a Keyblade weapon holding him captive on the ground. However, unlike Sora, the Sherriff recognized Roxas instantly. "You! You're that filthy raccoon that made a fool out of me back at the Church of Divine Providence a few weeks ago!"

"Silence," Roxas growled, holding the Sherriff captive with the Oblivion end of his KeyStaff. He gave his enemy a leering smile. "Glad to see that your memory's still intact." But then, his voice grew cold and hard, so cold that it was almost like freezing fire, dark with burning undertones. "You listen to me, Sherriff…that golden fox that was with Robin Hood was Naomé Windom, a very special friend of mine and a Keyblade Warrior just like I am. If I find her, and she's dead, no amount of running is going to keep you away from me. I swear to you that I will find you, wolf, and I will _kill you!_"

The Sherriff stared in wide-eyed horror as he felt Roxas strike him heavily with the KeyStaff as a warning of just how serious the golden-blonde-and-white-furred raccoon was. He flinched as Roxas bolted past, running after Sora and leaving him down on the floor. When he made sure that Roxas was gone, the Sherriff of Nottingham lunged to his feet and ran back into the flames, hoping that he would either get out of the castle, or get burned alive. He would rather die by fire than have to deal with the hot-eyed Master of the KeyStaff!

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - West Watchtower_

Naomé took Robin's hand gratefully, the outlaw pulling her up onto the roof just as a hail of arrows zinged beneath her booted feet. Gasping sorely for breath, she gave Robin a grateful smile. "Thank you, Robin. I needed that help!"

"No problem," Robin replied. "Get behind me, Naomé, and leave the shooting to me. You've fought long enough…it's time that someone defend _you!_ A lady shouldn't have to fight as hard as you did to protect yourself."

This brought a smile from the Second Keybearer. "Roxas would've said something like that. He thinks that I shouldn't have to be so concerned about watching my own back, all the time. He's quite protective of me, and it's suffocating at times, but I know it's because he cares. I'm sure that you must be same way with Maid Marion."

Robin smiled this time. "Indeed I am, Naomé." He chuckled. "You know me better than I know myself, young lady!"

"Well, maybe your protective nature can get us out of this alive," Naomé remarked. But then, she gave Robin a worried glance. "Not that I'm saying I'm trying to use you as a shield or anything…"

"Think nothing of it. I would rather see you safe than in Prince John's clutches. He wouldn't have any pity on you, lady or not. You helped me pull off the jailbreak…he _definitely_ won't let you escape." Robin aimed his bow at the edge of the roof in case any of the guards tried to come up. "If this is my final stand, then I won't let anyone else go down with me! If it looks bad, Naomé, get as far away from here as fast as you can!"

"All right," Naomé replied with a nod. _I'm a pretty fast runner…perhaps I'll be able to find King Richard and bring him back! I don't think he'd want a noble man like Robin Hood to go down! I can almost bet myself he'd give Prince John an eternal grounding, lock him up in his room, and throw away the key! Of course, that's _exactly_ what he deserves…if only I could be there to see him get punished…_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

"C'mere, you scaredy cat of an Infiltrator!" Sora roared, forcing Prince John back towards a corner of the Prince's own chambers. "Whassamatta? _Chicken?_ Hah! You're the most lily-livered, yellow-bellied _coward_ I've ever seen! And to think that _you_ qualified as an Infiltrator? Gimme a break! Maleficent must be going soft in the head to let a _baby_ like _you_ in the ranks!"

Prince John screeched at the scathing insult and tried to attack Sora, only to have Roxas come sweeping in from the side in a surprise attack and shove him back with a heavy bat from the Oathkeeper Keyblade. Giving a yowl in despair, he cringed and tried to crawl up in as tight of a ball as he possibly could, flattening himself in the corner that both squirrel and raccoon had successfully trapped him in. "Don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me!" He whimpered.

Roxas laughed in derision. "Hey, Sora! Look at this! This isn't the same Prince that was at that carnival a couple weeks ago!" He glared at the Prince and spat contemptibly in his face. "You're disgusting, do you know that? I bet that a grasshopper could rule better than you!"

"I-I was only trying to-" The Prince began.

"Drive everybody to the brink of disaster and financial ruin so you could feed your Heartless _pets_ with them?" Sora snorted in scorn. "I'm sure keeping as many Heartless here must be difficult…they have to eat a heart every once in a while to stay healthy. I bet an entire World full of despairing citizens would _certainly_ qualify. But, you know what? Heartless can become sick and die if they eat weak hearts. Hearts with some level of strength, even if it's just a fraction of power, can keep them alive longer, so feeding them dejected, oppressed citizens wouldn't do any good! Maybe they should be eating _you_ and the castle guards for their dinner!"

Cowering, the Prince of Sherwood Forest began sniffling.

"Why are you crying?" Roxas snapped. "Stop that!"

Prince John mumbled something under his breath.

Sora reached out and caught the Prince under the chin with the Keyblade, lifting the babyish face to meet his own. "What did you say?"

"I want my Mommy!" Prince John yowled as he began to cry in fear.

Both Warriors of the Keyblade laughed outright.

"He wants his Mommy?" Roxas said. "Sora, did you hear him? An Infiltrator wants his Mommy! How sorry is _that?_"

Sora sniggered. "That's not sorry, Roxas…that's just _plain pathetic!_" However, he became dismissive again as he pinned Prince John into the corner. "All right, you weakling…you stay right there until I come back for you! And when I do, you're gonna be sorry that you ever messed with me!"

Prince John froze in terror as Roxas and Sora went out onto the balcony and tried to figure out where Robin Hood and Naomé might've gone. He attempted to move, but somehow Roxas sensed his motion and cast a burning Firaga his way, making him yelp in fear and go scrambling back into the corner. He curled up into a ball again, burying his face and quivering in trepidation at the thought of what Sora and Roxas would do to him when they were good and ready to.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - West Watchtower_

"The fire's getting too close for comfort," Naomé remarked nervously as she saw the flames begin to lick at the edges of the roof. "We're trapped up here, Robin! We won't be able to go back downstairs!"

"Obviously, the guards got the picture," Robin said. "I can see a lot of them fleeing to the parts of the castle that haven't burned up yet. It won't be long, though…I know just how stubborn fires are. I've seen a few of them in my lifetime…they're just plain stubborn once they get a strong hold on a place like this one. It's no surprise to me that the flames consumed this tower, too."

"What are we gonna do?" Naomé asked.

"If it gets bad enough, we'll have to jump for the moat below. That'll be the only way out. The fire won't cross the water…it's just not possible."

Naomé shook her head in dismay. "It can if it gets a hold of anything across the way. Obviously, though, whoever the _real_ King is made sure that the forest is a good distance away." _I can't let anybody in on the fact that I met King Richard…he told me that he would come out when he felt the time was right. I just wonder how soon that will be…_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Battlements_

Roxas and Sora knocked aside a half-dozen or so guards, both of them working together to hurl a rhinoceros guard over the inside edge of the Battlements and to the Courtyard floor a couple stories below them. Not pausing to view the results of their grisly work, they plowed onward, meeting a rather heavy resistance.

It was Sora that saw the two figures seated atop the burning West Watchtower. "Roxas! Look! Up there! I can see Naomé and Robin! They're trapped!"

Looking up at the direction Sora was pointing at, Roxas felt his whole body freeze with fear. "_Naomé!_" He screamed.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - West Watchtower_

Up on the roof, Naomé looked down onto the Battlements at the sound of the voice of the Master of the KeyStaff. She caught the glimpse of the flashing silver-steel, shining white, and flat black Keyblades through the amber-gold haze of the flames, and she felt her hopes suddenly skyrocket. _Roxas! Sora! The two of you braved the fire to come and save me! Oh, guys…you're the two greatest friends that anybody could ever have!_

Robin Hood smirked. "Well, I see that your faith in your friends is definitely well-placed. I bet you must be glad to see them."

"Of course I am!" Naomé replied, sighing in relief. However, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the fire had just burst through a hole it'd burned into the roof. With a yelp of surprise, Naomé jumped back as far away as she could from the flames. "Robin! The fire just came through the roof! We're running out of time!"

"I noticed. It looks like don't have a choice anymore, Naomé. I think we're gonna have to jump. It's getting too dangerous up here, and the only way out is the water."

Naomé gulped. "Jump into the moat? Robin, are you sure that's the only choice that we've got left? Surely we can brave going back down into the tower? I'm not afraid of the water, but I'd much rather try to scale down the Battlements rather than take a bath in muddy water!"

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Robin replied. "Even if we go back down into the tower, we'll either be burned alive, or find guards that might've braved the fire to take us out. Our only choice is to jump."

_FWOOOSHH!_ Flames exploded out of other parts of the roof of the West Watchtower, cranking up the heat so much that Naomé swore she was going to sweat to death. She looked over at Robin, who gave her a just as worried look, and she was shocked to see the fear that lined his normally confident features. The sight of the fire had rattled him, and he knew that the only way they could both escape was do exactly what he said: _jump._

Gulping so as to try and tamp down the fear that raced up from her toes and threatened to choke her, Naomé gathered up her courage and tried to run across the slanted roof as fast as she could, boots slamming into the smoldering rooftop as she tried to build up as much speed as she could. Naomé took a final look at Robin Hood and gave him a brave nod, which she got in return. Then, the Second Keybearer and the outlaw threw themselves from the tower and to the waters of the moat below, which gleamed like liquid gold from the reflection of the flames in the surface. Both hit the surface with a explosive _SPLASH!_ and vanished beneath the waves.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Battlements_

"_Naomé! No!_"

Roxas screamed Naomé's name again as he saw the Second Keybearer lunge from the top of the roof of the West Watchtower, and he felt his heart stop when she hit the water far below him. _Oh, no…Naomé just plunged from five stories up into the moat! She jumped from the roof! Naomé…! You're _crazy!

Sora somehow read Roxas's thoughts. "Naomé, you _idiot!_ What did you do that for, stupid? You're gonna get killed, or at best drowned!"

"Personally, Sora, I'd much rather take a bath in an oversized swimming pool than be grilled on a giant barbecue," Roxas remarked. "Besides, Naomé looks better with blonde fur than black. She's hardly the type to be a black fox. I'm sorry, but I always heard things about black foxes being the bad guys, or at least evil on some level. Naomé's not a bad guy, not by any standards, and she _certainly_ isn't evil."

"I agree, but I still think that what she did was crazy," Sora replied.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

Sora and Roxas weren't the only ones to see Robin and Naomé jump. Prince John had dared to come crawling out of the corner Sora and Roxas had trapped him earlier, and was now coming to stand on his balcony. He'd watched as Naomé and Robin had taken the plunge, and he suddenly felt an overwhelming rage come roaring up from within him. _He's trying to escape! That blasted Robin Hood is trying to escape me! I _won't_ let him get away this time!_

Growling in fury, Prince John called to the remaining guards on the Battlements below. "Kill him!" He shrieked. "Kill Robin Hood! _Kill him!_ Make sure he's good and dead! Kill him!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Moat_

Naomé's head came flying up from beneath the waves, and she gasped for breath as she came settling back down into the water from her desperate skyrocket from the bottom to the surface. Robin popped up beside her a moment later, and the two foxes looked back over their shoulders at the burning castle.

Prince John's orders to kill Robin came blasting down from his chambers, and Naomé knew she was in trouble. She was in the direct line of fire that was supposed to be directed at Robin! Naomé cursed her valiant attempt to save the day. She'd put herself at risk because of her desire to prove that she was a hero like Sora and Roxas were!

Robin grabbed Naomé's hand and began dragging her towards the opposite end of the Moat. "Naomé! Don't look back! Just swim for it! We've got to get as far away as we can from the castle! Prince John won't stop until he's certain that we're full of arrows! Move yourself!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Battlements_

Sora was the one to scream in horror as he saw a hailstorm of deadly shafts being loosed from the guards. He, like Prince John, felt an overwhelming rage consume him, and he gave a great roar of fury as he threw himself into the ranks, hacking and slashing away with his Keyblade in hopes of breaking the concentration of the guards.

Roxas, too, was overpowered by fury. Imitating Sora's actions, Roxas lunged into the fray, KeyStaff smacking guards aside like he would bat away at a wall of Heartless and Nobodies that were keeping from achieving his goal. Strikes would snap bows, others would send guards plummeting over both sides of the Battlements, and a great deal of them knocked them unconscious or forced a great deal of them to run for safety.

Both Warriors of the Keyblade went racing along the Battlements in hopes of trying to reach Naomé and Robin by jumping in after them and find a way to deflect as many arrows as they could so they could get away. However, they both knew that they would never be able to make it in time to save the outlaw and the Second Keybearer from whatever Fate had decreed for them. They could only stand by and watch in hopes that they didn't see their bodies float to the surface, poked full of shafts like pincushions.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Moat_

Naomé wriggled and twisted under the water, listening with the keen hearing being a fox imparted to her to hear the impact of the arrows as they zipped into the water like diving dragonflies. The evil hissing sound they made as they cut through the water and to the ground below was enough to send her fur prickling in fear.

Robin Hood was slightly ahead of Naomé, also attempting his own maneuvering to avoid being hit. He ducked his head as one shaft hit his lucky hat, nearly swiping it clean off of him. In a sudden idea, he let his hat float to the surface to try and fake his own death.

_He's trying to fool everyone into thinking that he's done for!_ Naomé thought. _How clever! I wish that I could do that! Unfortunately, I was wearing my jacket when I hit the water…the force of my dive wouldn't have been enough to wrench the jacket off of me…I guess I'll have to find my own way to "die…"_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Battlements_

"_No!_"

The shout flew from Sora's lips faster than he could think. He saw Robin's hat rise to the surface, an arrow shot straight through from the back to the front. The sight of the arrow in the hat made Sora sick. The outlaw hadn't been fast enough to get out of the way.

"Where's Naomé?" Roxas shouted. "I don't see her! Where is she?" He leaned over the Battlements and started yelling at the water. "Naomé! Naomé Windom! Naomé, where are you? Answer me if you can hear me, Second Keybearer! Naomé! Are you all right? _Naomé!_"

"C'mon, Naomé," Sora whispered. "C'mon…don't die on us…please don't leave us…please…Kingdom Hearts, please let Naomé live! I don't want to see my friend die…I don't want to lose anymore friends! Please…let Naomé survive!"

Both Sora and Roxas watched the water, hearts pounding in terror, eyes wide in fear as they searched the Moat for their friend.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Prince John's Chambers_

The Prince was beside himself with joy. He'd seen Robin's hat bobbing on the surface. He was dead! That pesky outlaw was dead at last! No longer did he have to worry about the tax money being stolen! He'd get all the money back, and then he'd put the villagers to the sword! He'd make them all pay for their insolence!

"Hooray! He's finished! He's done for!" Prince John cheered, dancing a jig on the balcony with Sir Hiss. "Hiss, look! Victory is ours at last! Robin Hood is no more! We've finally defeated Robin Hood! That foolish fox is dead!" He shouted elatedly over the balcony to the Battlements below. "Guards! Find and bring me the outlaw's body! I'll skin him for a new floor rug for my room and then burn the rest of him as an example! Bring him to me!"

"Bring the gold fox, too!" Sir Hiss said. "Her pelt would make an excellent blanket for His Majesty's bed! No one in all of Kingdom Hearts will have a golden fox's pelt for a blanket!"

"Don't forget the squirrel and raccoon, too!" Prince John chimed in. "They're Keybearers! Her Ladyship Maleficent will be well-pleased to have them in her possession! She's got a score to settle with the squirrel!"

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Battlements_

Sora paled in fear. "Oh, no! I was afraid he knew who I was! As Naomé says, blasphemies! And we're stuck up here, too! How are _we_ gonna get out of this alive?"

"Easy," Roxas replied. "I think we need to make a jump for it, too."

"No good! We'll get poked full of holes!" Sora hissed. "We're gonna have to fight our way back down to the Courtyard!"

"_That's_ no good, Sora!" Roxas said. "The path back down has been burned to ash! It's too dangerous! We're gonna have to jump! We don't have any other choice!"

Roxas and Sora stood back-to-back to try and fight their way over towards the West Watchtower so they'd have a better aim, when a voice that was obviously used to giving commands rang imperiously out from across the Moat and from somewhere within the forest.

"Lay your hands on those two, and you shall have to deal with me!"

"KazeRyu?" Sora said in confusion, giving Roxas a puzzle look.

Roxas shook his head. "No! That doesn't sound like him! The voice is too different! And it's not Robin or Naomé, so who could it be?"

A shocked yell from Prince John's Chambers caught the attention of both Keybearers. They turned around to see that the Prince was both amazed and afraid at the same time, giving his childish features a comical expression.

"It's Richard! It's my brother! He's come home! No! Why now? Why when I was finally about to have my revenge? Curse you, big brother! You always spoil my fun!"

A large, impressive lion stepped out from the clearing and glared up at the Prince. Sora could immediately see the resemblance between Prince John and this newcomer, and he immediately knew that this was the person Robin Hood had so proudly described to him when they'd first met.

"You playtime is over, baby John!" King Richard called up. "I'm taking your little clubhouse for myself and turning it back into a proper castle, the way that Mother and Father left it for _me_, the _rightful_ King!"

Roxas was amazed. "It's King Richard!" He said to Sora. "Prince John's big brother's back, and boy does he look _angry_ with his baby brother!"

"Wouldn't you if John was _your_ baby brother?" Sora asked. "_I_ would be if I were King Richard. I can almost bet that their parents are rolling over in their graves because their youngest son made such a mess of things here."

"It wouldn't surprise me a bit," Roxas replied.

King Richard scowled in severe disapproval at his baby brother. "I'm ashamed of you, John! I left the kingdom to you so you could _take care_ of my subjects, _not_ abuse them as it appears you have done! In fact, things would've been much worse if it hadn't been for my friends!"

Prince John curled his lip in scorn. "And what friends would those be?"

The elder noble gave his brother a knowing smirk. 'The two that you were trying to capture, for starters! One of those two is Sora Kasasagi, the legendary Master of the Keyblade!"

Sora was amazed. "He knows who I am? King Richard knows who I am! How did he know?"

"Sora, I am surprised at you! You would think everybody in Kingdom Hearts would be oblivious as to who you are? Everybody who is anybody is aware of who you are, my friend, especially those who are the rulers of a World."

Roxas swirled on his heels. He smiled as he saw KazeRyu appear up next to them from behind the Battlements. "KazeRyu!"

"I wondered what happened to you, Wind Dragon," Sora said.

"You need not worry about me," KazeRyu replied. "However, I _am_ worried about Naomé. I heard the two of you yelling at her. What happened to her? Is she all right?"

"She jumped from the roof of the West Watchtower and into the Moat below," Sora explained haltingly. "We don't know if she's alive or not, KazeRyu. We haven't seen her. I think Robin's dead…I didn't see him surface, either."

KazeRyu angrily bared his fangs at the Warriors of the Keyblade, his expression becoming hideous in the firelight as he narrowed his eyes in irritation. "You two told me you were going after Naomé, that you were going to rescue her from the fire and bring her to safety! And then, despite your intentions, you allowed her to jump to her death? What kind of fools are you? You said you could not let your friend die, and yet you stood there and watched her do it, anyway? You two are both fools, just like I suspected when you went back into the fire!"

"She would've jumped anyway!" Roxas fired back. "It's not our fault her and Robin were, like, thirty steps ahead of us! We tried to catch up! Honestly, we did! We had to find our way from the North Watchtower over to this one, and by the time we were halfway there, Naomé and Robin jumped to escape the flames in the tower! It's not our fault!"

Prince John, meanwhile, was still angry. "You said you had friends, brother. You've already mentioned the Keyblade Master. Who else did you have in mind?"

King Richard's smile seemed to become more devious. "A couple very good friends, one of which I had the honor of getting to know quite well." He turned around and spoke to the forest behind him. "Isn't that right, Robin Hood and Naomé Windom?"

"_Naomé Windom?_" Sora and Roxas gasped.

Both copper and golden fox stepped out from the bushes. Robin gave King Richard a deep bow. "You certainly are, Your Majesty!"

Prince John's face went slack-jawed in shock. "_Robin Hood? Impossible!_ There's _no way_ that you could've survived that many arrows! There's _no way!_"

"I'm smarter than the average fox, Prince John," Robin replied, tipping Prince John a surreptitious wink. "You should've figured that out when you had your first encounter with me a long time ago!"

King Richard laughed in amusement at Robin's comment.

Naomé looked up at her friends and waved. "Hey, guys! Did you miss me?"

The two Warriors of the Keyblade immediately went crazy with joy. "_Naomé!_" They cried in unison. Cheering in delight, squirrel and raccoon dismissed their weapons, lunged over the side of the Battlements, and dove straight into the Moat. Both of them went streaking across the surface of the water like a pair of sharks, with Roxas leading and Sora only a few seconds behind.

Naomé smiled as Roxas came flying up out of the water, dripping wet from head to toe. She shrieked in shock as Roxas charged her down and picked her up, laughing breathlessly as he swirled her around and around on the banks of the Moat. "_Roxas!_ Oh, Roxas, you came after me!"

"Of course I did!" Roxas replied, setting Naomé down on the ground. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't at least attempt to save you? You should have more faith! Besides, I know you would do it for me if the necessity of it came up!"

"I know I would," Naomé said, giving Roxas a hug. She smiled the biggest smile she could, her gray eyes bright with happiness. "Oh, Roxas…you and Sora risked being burned alive in that fire to try and save me. You put your lives on the line because you were worried about me! Roxas…you and Sora are the best friends that anyone could ever wish for!" She hugged him again. "Thank you."

Sora scrambled out of the water. "I heard that," He said with a smirk.

Naomé turned and looked Sora straight in the eye and returned the smirk to him. "You were supposed to," She said in the same tone of voice.

It was Roxas's turn to laugh. "Good one, Naomé!"

Sora shook his head in mock despair. "You're bad!" He came over and embraced Naomé, as well. Then, after they'd hugged, he pulled back and wagged an admonishing finger in her face. "Look, you! You ever do anything like that again, and I'll kill you myself! Understand?"

Naomé sighed. "Fine. I understand. However, I can't exactly promise that I won't do anymore of those stupid stunts."

"Why not?" Roxas asked.

"Because, if I do, then you two have to promise it, as well. And all three of us know that _that_ will be an _impossible_ promise for you two to keep! If you can do stupid stunts, then I can, too!"

Sora looked at Roxas. "Uh-oh. Roxas…I think Naomé knows us better than we gave her credit for."

Roxas chuckled. "Gee, you think?"

All three friends burst out laughing as they embraced in a huge group hug, and they continued to laugh until they were breathless. Then, for quite a while afterwards, they stood there, staying together with their arms wrapped around one another's shoulders, watching the Sun rise over the burning castle across the Moat.


	35. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

True Love, True Friends

_Three Weeks Later_

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Entertainment Hall_

"Long live Robin Hood! Long live King Richard!"

The cries of delight from the citizens of Sherwood Forest echoed to a man in the Entertainment Hall of the Royal Castle. They had come to attend a triple celebration: King Richard's triumphant return, the liberation of Sherwood Forest, and the marriage of Robin Hood and Maid Marion.

Since the defeat of the Sherriff of Nottingham and Prince John, the Royal Castle had been transformed from a burned-out shell to the magnificent structure it had been before the fire. In the final days of Prince John's reign, the castle had been turned into a high-security prison. But now, in the weeks since, it had been restored to a shining castle, all traces of the shadowy creatures that'd harbored within its walls scrubbed away by teams of all-too-willing paws.

Sora Kasasagi, Roxas Avalon, Naomé Windom, and KazeRyu were honored guests at the celebration, invited personally by King Richard himself. They had their place up at the royal table, with the four adventurers sitting at the rightful King's right paw, the side traditionally reserved for the guest (or guests) of honor.

At a table seated just below the King, Robin Hood and Maid Marion were seated with all their best men and bridesmaids, and with Little John proudly situated amongst Robin's group. The large, portly bear attempted whole-heartedly to make merry with Robin, but the former outlaw was currently so distracted by his new bride that he wasn't paying attention to anything else around him.

There was a clamor of celebrating going throughout the rest of the Entertainment Hall. The citizens of Sherwood Forest were all dressed in their finest clothes, and were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Men gathered around the buffet table, picking at the food and heavily laden with drinks in paw. Ladies sat off to one side, gossiping about the latest news in all of Sherwood Forest: it was believed that the legendary Windom family wasn't extinct. As for the children, they ran, giggling and screaming in childish delight, about the whole of the Entertainment Hall, acting out the supposed final battle between Robin Hood, Prince John, and the Sherriff.

King Richard suddenly rose, tapping a golden spoon against an equally golden chalice filled with the finest wine from his winery below the castle foundations. "Ladies and gentlemen, my good people, harken to me!"

The Entertainment Hall immediately fell as silent as the darkest tomb in all of Kingdom Hearts. Everyone in attendance obediently turned their eyes upon the King, who was looking boldly but kindly back at every one of them.

"I'd like to thank all of you for attending this gay event. I am greatly pleased that Robin Hood and my dear niece, Marion, as you all know, are now blissfully wed in holy matrimony." King Richard solemnly raised his goblet. "I wish, good people, to propose a toast to the happy newlyweds. I only wish the best of health and luck to them both. I hope that they will always be together. I wish to see that they have a happy family. And, most importantly, I wish for them to give to each other the never-ceasing joy that comes from what we all know as 'true' love. Therefore, my friends, I propose a toast to the two beloveds whose tremendous love for one another withstood the tests of both time and tribulation. To Sir Robin and Lady Marion!"

"To Sir Robin and Lady Marion!" The attendants replied in unison, every one of them raising their own goblets in tribute to the dashing (and recently knighted) former outlaw of Sherwood Forest and his beautiful bride. And then, after all drank to the celebrated couple, all action resumed. The men grouped with the men, the women gossiped with the women, and the children resumed their aimless games.

Roxas was in a melancholy mood. He tried to be polite and act like the gracious guest, but he had other thoughts on his mind. This joyous wedding painfully reminded him of how, at one point, close he had come to having a wonderful celebration like this in honor of himself and Naminé, the young woman who he'd sworn to be forever with. Naminé's untimely death had shattered Roxas's fairy tale dream, leaving him with a broken and lonely heart that ached in torment from a deep and excruciating wound that had never completely healed.

When he was sure that no one was watching, Roxas rose from his place at the table and silently left the Entertainment Hall and headed for the Courtyard by sticking to the walls like paper would stick to glue. He squeezed his way through the carousing men and dodged laughing children, and then disappeared through the doors and out into the early afternoon.

But Roxas _didn't_ know that someone _had_ been watching him: Naomé Windom. The Second Keybearer had sensed earlier in the day that there was something wrong with her friend, and his attempt at silent truancy had not gone unnoticed from her keen sight. Try as he might, he did not escape detection as he'd thought.

Naomé, like Roxas, stood up. But, before she could head towards the Courtyard, she felt Sora tug on her jacket. She looked down at him disapproval. "What, Sora?"

"Where are you going?" Sora asked. "The party's just barely gotten started!"

"Unless you noticed, the party isn't so much of a party for one the guests," Naomé replied, prying her jacket from Sora's paw. "Roxas has left the celebration. I saw him heading out to the Courtyard. I'm going after him to see if he's all right."

"He's probably bummed because he didn't get his own happily ever after," Replied Sora. "Remember? His fiancée died before they could marry."

Naomé was growing impatient. She gave the Master of the Keyblade a thoroughly icy glower that turned her agate gray eyes as cold as frozen granite, her light-golden-blonde-furred face hard with irritation. "Yes, yes, I know about Naminé! Roxas told me the whole story! Now, if you'll excuse me, _I_ have a duty as a friend to uphold!" She turned on her heels and left Sora back at the table, dumbfounded into silence.

KazeRyu chuckled at the look of blank amazement on Sora's face. "Well, well. _That_ was rather amusing, do you not think?"

Sora's countenance clouded in an expression similar to that of the one he'd received from Naomé only moments before. "Speak for yourself, Wind Dragon. What you may have found to be entertaining was not so for the one who participated in it!"

The "Wind Dragon" merely chuckled again as he took a dainty sip of his wine. If there was one thing he found more amusing than anything, it was antagonizing the Master of the Keyblade. For some reason, Sora's buttons were much easier to push than those of any mortal he'd known in his over two thousand years of existence.

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard_

Out in the Courtyard, Naomé was engaged in searching for Roxas. The creature his body had taken the form of, the raccoon, was known for its sly disappearances, and Roxas had done exactly that. It was as if he wasn't anywhere in the castle at all!

"Gods, Roxas! Where are you, you stupid cretin?" Naomé hissed. She leaped nimbly around a pair of rollicking boars, who were singing uproariously in an off-key manner and laughing drunkenly. She shook her head in despair at the sight of the drunken pair before heading on her way.

Throughout the Courtyard, the happy servants of the castle were going about their tasks with a renewed will and high spirits. Unfortunately for Naomé, however, their actions were preventing her from completing her own task of discovering her friend and the final destination of his disappearance.

A sudden shout made Naomé's instincts snap to attention. She glanced quickly to her left to see that one of the attendants of the wine cart had discovered (too late!) that the latch that kept the back of the lower of the two levels of the cart closed was defective. It had snapped, causing all the barrels to go thundering out into the Courtyard, and with Naomé in the direct path of the stampede of rolling ironclad aged oak barrels!

Naomé acted quickly. She leaped onto the nearest barrel as it rolled within a couple feet of her, then skipped onto the next one, then the next, and then the next. She gave a final acrobatic tumble that allowed her to remove herself from the path of the barrels without a scratch. She sniffed confidently as she dusted off, readjusted her jacket, and smoothed her fur back into place. Satisfied with her performance, she began to resume her search for Roxas…

_KER-SNAP!_

The boom of an explosion and the rumble of angry thunder echoed in Naomé's ears. She whirled around to see, to her utter horror, that the other latch on the cart had abruptly given way, and now a second tidal wave of wine-filled barrels were coming at her with at least twice the speed the others had been! Naomé cursed horribly under her breath at the sight of her new "attackers." She was too close to mount the kind of escape she just had! How was she going to get out of there without being "barreled" over?

"_Naomé!_"

The thunderbolt that had screamed the name of the Second Keybearer came slicing through the Courtyard in a flash of golden-blonde-and-white, blurred by black, and tinted with a streak made of gold, dull ebony black, and shining silver white. It seemed to navigate the tide of barrels without any difficulties, and it grabbed Naomé in its virtually effortless passing through the obstacle. A couple quick leaps and both the flash and the Second Keybearer were in the safety of a nearby staircase that lead up to the Battlements.

The amazed servants applauded in relief and amazement as Naomé and her rescuer came to a halt. Then, the impromptu entertainment concluded, they threw themselves back into their allotted tasks, which now included rounding up the flood of renegade barrels.

Naomé's heart was racing from fear and adrenaline. She suddenly realized that whoever it was that'd saved her was still holding her close, as if protecting her from any still impeding yet unforeseen danger. The protective presence allowed her to relax, and she responded to the instinct by taking a slow, deep breath and exhaling just as slow.

"You know what they always say: one good save deserves another."

The voice that whispered in her ear made Naomé jump. She leaped around to find herself staring into a pair of glittering eerie crystal blue eyes framed by a mask of golden-blonde fur. The muzzle of her rescuer was shaped into a cocky smile tinged with worry, and their head was cocked to one side in amusement and concern.

Naomé laughed with glee. "_Roxas!"_ She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a grateful and relieved embrace. "You rescued me! Thank you!"

Roxas smiled back and returned the hug. "No need to thank me, Naomé. I was just helping a friend in need. You did that for me when we first came here. Don't you remember what happened with the carriage?"

"I never forgot it," Naomé replied solemnly.

"I never got to thank you properly for that," Roxas said just as gravely. "To me, this was my way of saying thanks. Unfortunately, it had to happen _that_ particular way, but I wasn't about to let my best friend get trampled to death, either."

"Thanks again," Said Naomé as she gave Roxas another hug. She looked up at him and frowned in worry. "Roxas?"

"M-hm?"

"Why did you leave the party? What's wrong?"

Roxas was amazed. "You saw me leave? I thought nobody saw me!"

"No. I did. You looked so upset…I thought you could use a friend to talk to, so I decided to come looking for you."

"You came after me? You risked _that_ back there because you wanted to be my friend?" Roxas said, jerking his head back in the direction of the aftermath of the barrel stampede. "_Naomé!_ You could've been _killed!_"

"I know. I wasn't expecting that, though. Are you all right? What's the matter?"

Roxas wanted to talk about Naminé, but he was too worried about Naomé at the moment to think of it. He pulled his friend close to him, then took her chin in his hand and tilted her head back so they were looking squarely into each other's eyes. "I'm not concerned about what's on my mind right now. I just want to make sure you're okay _and_ that you understand I want you to be more careful."

Naomé frowned. "Roxas, you're treating me like a child again."

"I am?"

"Yes."

"Oh…sorry. I can't help it with you."

Now _Naomé_ was confused. "You 'can't help it with me'? What's _that_ mean?"

Roxas's smile was sad. "I can't help it because you remind me a lot of my fiancée. Naminé was a lot like you are, Naomé…you're both very brilliant women, but you're also both a bit naïve when it comes to the subject of danger."

"Oh," Naomé said softly, averting her gaze. "I see…Roxas?"

"Yes?"

"Do I…well…"

Roxas gave Naomé an encouraging smile. "What is it? What's the matter?"

"Well…do I remind you of…Naminé?"

This question caught Roxas off guard. But, when he noticed the worried and confused expression on Naomé's face, he felt bad. He'd told her everything about Naminé Sakura Windom, right down to her innocently beautiful smile. Did Naomé feel that she was a painful reminder of his dearly beloved fiancée?

"Naomé," Roxas said, taking Naomé's hand in his. "Come for a walk with me."

"Okay," Naomé replied nervously, allowing Roxas to pull her up the stairs and onto the Battlements. "I guess a walk couldn't hurt too much, now could it?"

Roxas flashed that infectious smile of his again. "Why not, right? But, what I wanted to talk about is the fact that I can tell you're upset about how I told you that you remind me of Naminé. Well, I don't want you to feel bad, Naomé…it just struck me funny how similar the two of you are. I don't want you to think your being near me is painful for me. It's actually the opposite."

"It is?" Asked an astounded Naomé.

"M-hm. I enjoy having your company, Naomé. Whether you believe it or not, you're a pretty good companion, and you're an even better friend."

Naomé flinched in shock. "I…I am?"

Roxas nodded. "Yes, you are. And that was another quality Naminé had. Now, don't think I'm drawing comparisons here…again, it's just similarities I've noticed. You're not her, and she's not you. The two of you are two separate individuals that share some…_admirable_ qualities, one being a very good friend."

"Well, thanks!" Replied Naomé, blushing beneath her fur. "I had no idea you felt that way about me! You have no idea how much that opinion means to me, Roxas…I've never had someone tell me that I'm a very good friend. Yeah, I had friends, but I never heard someone say the kinds of things you just did."

"You never heard a lot of nice things back on the Key Islands, did you?" Roxas queried, his face becoming sympathetic in appearance.

"Uh-uh. I always heard bad things."

"Like what?"

Naomé shrugged off-handedly, her voice becoming bitter at the hateful memories. "That I was stupid, that being a half-breed meant I was worthless, I was weak, I'd never amount to anything, that kind of stuff." She sighed heavily, the bitterness in her voice turning into a reflection of her inner pain. "I just wasn't thought of as anyone important. People like me on the Key Islands weren't exactly looked very highly upon. We were thought to be so subhuman that we weren't even capable of friendship."

"That's cruel."

"I know. And, you know what? I never really had any more than one or two people in my life that I called 'friend.' I was too busy the rest of the time watching my back and trying to anticipate the moment that somebody was going to come out and jump me so they could give me a beating."

"Geez! It seems to me that your best friend was yourself!"

"It was. I couldn't trust anybody. My mother was the only other person besides myself that I could trust. We half-breeds have trust issues…the nationalities our parents were don't trust us, and then everyone that's in the same place we are don't trust us, either. Back home, you really were the only person you could trust with anything."

Roxas shook his head. "I know what you mean. I had issues like that back home in Twilight Town. I didn't trust anybody, and I knew no one trusted me. I didn't even trust my own shadow most of the time."

"You trusted Naminé," Naomé remarked.

"I did. She was the first person aside from my parents that I ever learned to trust. And since everyone in Twilight Town trusted Naminé, they were, in a roundabouts sort of way, forced to trust me. I knew what they were all thinking, too: w_hy would someone with morals as high as Naminé's were want to be around someone like him?_"

Naomé understood. "It was because they didn't trust you. Did you finally gain some level of trust, or did nobody ever even try to trust you?'

Roxas nodded. "Yes, I finally got some credibility with my neighbors. It took a lot of hard work, but it paid off quite well in the end. My life improved a lot. In all honesty, though, I feel greatly indebted to Naminé. I believe she's the reason I became the person I am now. If I hadn't met her, had fallen in love with her, I don't think I'd be the Roxas Avalon you know. I'd be completely different."

"I feel that way about myself," Naomé agreed. "If it weren't for my mother, I don't think I'd be the person _I_ am. I might've gotten into all sorts of trouble, maybe even have gotten myself killed. I don't know for sure, but I can tell you I would not want to be the kind of person you would want to call 'friend.'"

The look on Roxas's face was deep with thought. He stared long and hard at Naomé, who was facing in the direction of the Church of Divine Providence, her face stony with hard emotions. When he finally got up the nerve to speak, he amazed himself with his own words.

"I guess you and I have more in common than even Naminé and I thought we had. We've both spent all our lives trying to 'fit in,' to be accepted and trusted, to be seen as 'normal.' But, what we really should've been doing instead of trying so hard to make ourselves appear on the outside the kind of person that anybody could trust and respect was try just as hard to discover who we really were _inside_. And now, because we've done the opposite for so long, we've both alienated ourselves. Naminé was my first conscious attempt at trying to form a real identity for myself. She helped me discover more about myself than I ever thought there was to discover in the first place."

"Nobody knows just how much there really is about themselves to be found," Naomé remarked with a sad smile. "I just wish I had the chance to do that myself. I'm afraid it's too late to do that now…I'm too set in my ways now to change."

Roxas grabbed Naomé by her shoulder. He whirled her around so that she was staring at him again. "No, Naomé. There's always time for change. Naminé taught me that. I thought back then the way you're thinking now…there was no way I could change anything about myself. I was who I was, and that was it. Well, Naminé taught me that that _wasn't_ it, that a person can still change. And, you know what?"

"What?"

"I think that if _I_ was able to find a way to change, then _you_ can do the same. Naminé showed me how doing just one thing that I had always done one way a little differently can make a big difference. She helped me, and I think I can take what she taught me and teach _you_ how to see in yourself the possibilities you might've missed."

Naomé was shocked. "Why would you want to do that for me?"

Roxas's answer was to pull Naomé into a close, tight embrace, almost like he was a brother giving his sister a reassuring hug. He gave her a very serious look that made her completely lock down in amazement. "Because you're my friend, that's why. Friends help each other. You've helped me several times since we first met, Naomé Windom…it's time I help you back."

The Second Keybearer was astounded. She didn't know what to say to Roxas, the first person she'd ever truly felt any deep friendship connection with. He was doing a very noble thing in her mind. To offer to help someone with something so difficult as to help them discover who they were inside of their heart was a very noble undertaking. She didn't even know where to begin on how to thank him!

"Hey, guys!"

Puzzled, Naomé and Roxas glanced down. Sora was halfway up the steps towards the Battlements, waving a paw at them, the long, flowing fur of his bushy tail rippling in the breeze like a furred pennant. He was giving them a big smile, full of sharp milky white teeth.

"What's up, Sora?" Roxas called down.

Sora beckoned his friends down. "Come back to the Entertainment Hall with me! King Richard says he's got something very important to say, and he wants you guys there to hear it!"

Naomé and Roxas traded each other a look of total bewilderment. What was so important a matter that King Richard couldn't say it without the two of them being there? Oh, well. There was only one way to find out, wasn't there?

With an awkward smile, Roxas extended his arm to Naomé, who accepted it graciously. Then, together, the two friends walked down the steps like they did when they first set off together along the Road to Nottingham almost two months before.

The sight of the fox and the raccoon acting so formal with one another made Sora grin wickedly. "So," He said as they came to a halt before him. "How long have you two been going out?"

"We _haven't_ been, _that's_ how long," Roxas growled.

Naomé let loose with a low-level snarl. "If it weren't for the fact that we are to be in our Sunday best for this occasion, I would slap you so hard your face would be bruised for a month!"

Sora cringed. _Uh-oh!_ He thought. _I'm in trouble!_

"Oh, don't let that stop you, Naomé," Roxas replied with a smile very similar to that of Sora's from a few moments before, except this one was more malicious because all of his sharp milky white teeth were showing. "Do what you want with him. I know _plenty_ of ways to make even the worst of beatings look like an unfortunate accident."

_That's it! I'm out of here!_ Sora thought in terror. He began to nervously back away from Roxas and Naomé, the look on his face strained with tension. "You know, guys, if the two of you ever decided to go out with each other, I bet you'd be the perfect match."

Roxas leered at Sora. "Why?"

The Master of the Keyblade tensed up as the thought he wanted to make verbal came to the surface. He took off in a dead run, shoes slapping the cobblestones as he shouted back over his shoulder. "Because the both of you are _crazy!_"

The Master of the KeyStaff didn't take the joke lightly. He gave a growl of disgust as he took off after Sora, his voice gruff with anger as he yelled at his retreating friend's backside. "Curse you, Sora! You stop right there and don't move another hair!"

Naomé had gotten a bit of a late start, but now she was proving just how swift a fox could be. She leaped from her current point on the stairs, boots slamming into the ground like twin pistons, and she used the force of the impact to give her a jumpstart. In a few short seconds, she'd caught up to and had overtaken Roxas's position in the race, and now she was rapidly gaining on Sora. "Get back here right this very instant, you overgrown, bushytailed, smart-mouthed, Keyblade-wielding vermin!"

Sora laughed, but he made no attempts whatsoever to put on the brakes. "Wow, Naomé! I can't believe you said that all in one breath!"

"You felonious furball!" Naomé snarled, putting on an impressive turn of speed that brought her quickly within two meters of Sora. "I'll teach you to give me any lip! By the time I'm done with you, canopy cruiser, you'll know personally what happens to those who cheek me! Get back here, you prickle-haired cheekybutt!"

"In your dreams!" Sora replied, dodging a swipe from Naomé's paw. He laughed mockingly at the Second Keybearer as he leaped through a couple more empty-handed swats, but Naomé's distracting him ended his freedom. By the time he realized he was heading for the stairs leading to the Entertainment Hall, he was already upon them. The toe of his shoe caught the topmost step, tripping him up and sending him sprawling…that is, it _would've_ sent him sprawling, had Naomé not grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him up on tiptoe.

Naomé grinned in devilish delight. "Well, Sora! Looks like my dreams came true! I gotcha!"

Roxas came stumbling to a stop behind his friends, laughing breathlessly as he saw Sora squirm vainly in Naomé's iron-pawed grip. He knew Sora wasn't going to be going _anywhere!_ When Naomé caught somebody, there was _no_ escaping her!

KazeRyu, who was still seated by King Richard at the opposite end of the Entertainment Hall, stifled his groan and covered his eyes in despair. His Human friends could be _such_ an embarrassment to him at times…

King Richard, on the other hand, seemed amused by this sudden impromptu entertainment offered by three of his guests of honor. He laughed heartily at the sight of Sora squirming in Naomé's grip. "Why, young lady Windom! I see that you have caught yourself a very fine fish! Pray, would you mind sharing the bounty of your absolutely spectacular catch with us?"

Naomé's laugh did little to change her fierce expression. "Why. most certainly, Your Majesty! I shall be most delighted! In fact, I shall go now and hand my catch over to the cook! I've always wanted to see what squirrel steak tastes like! Let's see what kind of magic the kitchens can make with a tree jumper!"

Roxas was laughing so hard that he was virtually in tears. He was doubled over, leaning against the doorway, gasping for air, and clutching painfully at his sides.

Sora, meanwhile, was pale with terror. Afraid Naomé would actually carry out her threat as repayment for his taunting outside, he clasped his hands together as tightly as they could be, so tight that his knuckles showed bright snowy white through his fur, and began begging vehemently for Naomé to grant him mercy.

"Naomé, please don't eat me! Please, please, _please_ don't eat me! I beg of you, don't eat me! You know just how skinny I am! I'm a scrawny stick! I'd probably ignite on the spit the moment they put me in the fire! I'm nothing but tough and nasty stuff! I wouldn't make a decent meal for a worm!"

"I'm sure the cooks could find _something_ to do with you," Naomé replied. "Why, if you are as you claim to be, nothing but fat and gristle, then I'm sure they would find you would do rather nicely as the flavoring to a savory stew or two."

"Ooh! That actually sounds really good, Naomé!" Roxas snickered. "I can just see it now…he'd be the newest gourmet masterpiece to come out of the royal kitchens! The cook would probably call it…I don't know…ah! I got it! _Sora Stew!_"

Sora gagged.

Naomé pulled a disgusted grimace. "_Disgusting!_ Who'd want to eat that?"

"What? People eat Caesar salad!"

"It's not the contents! It's the name I'm talking about! But, you know what? I just of thought of a different dish. _Keybearer Quiche!_"

Roxas burst out laughing. "That's a good one! Hey, what about Keybearer Kebobs? Or maybe Master of the Keyblade Marsala?"

Naomé shook her head. "That last one sounded interesting. But, here's one more to add to the list: _Keybearer a la Keyblade!_"

"What?" Roxas asked, confused. "How do you prepare _that_ one?"

"Oh, that's too easy, Roxas," Naomé replied rather flippantly. She tipped Roxas a surreptitious wink. "Skewer Sora on the Keyblade, then let the spit take care of the rest!"

By this time, those in attendance of the festivities were throwing in their own humorous suggestions for good measure. The ideas flew in thick and fast, making the Entertainment Hall echo with various preparations.

"Smoked squirrel kippers!"

"Nay, nay! Stuff him and roast him!"

"Stew him, tail and all!"

"Boil his head and broil his bottom!"

"Aye, but what about the middle? Ye forgot about the middle!"

"_That_ ye should roast and carve up as the squirrel steaks yon lass spoke about!"

Each opinion voiced made Sora more and more panicky. Finally, unable to brave his fear any longer, he gave a heart-wrenching scream of horror and miraculously broke free of Naomé's ironclad grasp. He bolted like a streak of hot summer lightning across the Entertainment Hall, and promptly buried himself under the table where KazeRyu and King Richard were sitting at. If anyone could see him beneath the tablecloth, they would've discovered a squirrel huddled up in a ball, teeth chattering, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, claws scratching frantically at the grout lines in the stone floor, and body trembling from tips of his ears to tip of his tail, which was curled up around him like a furry shield.

Roxas sidled up next to Naomé. They traded a befuddled look, and then he leaned down close to her ear. "Methinks we got a bit carried away," He whispered.

Naomé nodded sympathetically. "Methinks we did. Poor Sora…he probably thinks we really _are_ going to eat him for a special course. The poor guy…I hope he realizes we were only kidding."

King Richard called an end to the merriment. "My loyal subjects! Now that the last two of my honored guest have returned to my presence, I can now relate to all of you the story of the history of one of those very guests!" The regal lion extended an inviting paw towards the young pale golden-blonde-furred vixen he'd become acquainted with over a month before. "Naomé! Would you kindly come here, please?"

Naomé hesitated. _History? What history? I don't know what he's talking about!_

Roxas gave Naomé a nudge. "Get up there, silly! Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

With the knowledge that her friend was providing her spiritual support by his mere presence, the Second Keybearer walked across the Entertainment Hall and came to a halt before King Richard. Her and Roxas dropped to one knee and waited patiently.

The King of Sherwood Forest came from behind the table to stand over Naomé and Roxas. He then held out both paws and drew both of them to their feet. He nodded respectfully at Roxas, who responded with the same, and then he turned to Naomé. He smirked at the look of bewilderment on her face. "Don't worry, Naomé. You have nothing to fear. All is well."

Naomé felt herself relax at the King's reassuring words. She, like Roxas and King Richard had done to one another, nodded with solemn respect, and then returned to waiting for King Richard to speak.

"Good people of Sherwood Forest! A fortnight back, this young lady and I had the shared honor of becoming acquainted with one another. I will admit I found it rather interesting that she bore the surname of the legendary Guardians of our beloved Kingdom Hearts, but I honestly thought not much of it.

"During our initial acquaintanceship, I learned Naomé here knew virtually nothing of her family. After learning this, I vowed to myself that, upon my successful reclamation of my throne from my brother, I would help my friend find out if she was indeed a descendant of the noble family we all regard so highly as the paladin protectors of our beloved universe."

King Richard imperiously beckoned a Friar Tuck and a robed owl with spectacles perched on its beak to approach. The owl bore within its wingtips what appeared to be an aged vellum scroll. He gingerly took the scroll from the owl's possession and unrolled it.

"Now, according to the Law of Legitimacy, an individual can claim they are the heir to any and all family holdings if they are able to prove their ancestry back at least to their great-great-grandfather or grandmother, which is five generations removed from themselves. Using what information I had learned from my friend, I had my scholars do extensive research in the records I have here at my disposal to prove Naomé's legitimacy as an heir to the Windom family."

Naomé felt her breath catch in her throat, nearly making her gag. King Richard had actually attempted to trace her ancestry? If she was indeed a Windom, then that meant she'd been disowned by the greatest family in all of Kingdom Hearts! But, the idea of her ancestry made her wonder which of her parents had been the Windom. Had her father been the one, or had it been her mother's maiden name?

Roxas, also, was nervous. _Naminé's last name had been Windom. Before she died, she was considered to be the last living heir besides her father. If King Richard was able to prove that _Naomé_ is a Windom, too, then that means _she's_ the last Windom in all of Kingdom Hearts, _and_ she owns everything! But, I wonder…how is she related to Naminé? She's too young to be her aunt, and Naminé didn't have any brothers or sisters…or did she have a little sister, and just didn't know it?_

King Richard gave Naomé a smile. "Naomé, my friend, my scholars have worked tirelessly these last few days, scouring every possible record they could get their paws on. What they were able to discover was that your having the Windom surname was _not_ a coincidence: you are indeed a descendant of the Windoms. Unfortunately, we could not prove if you were from the direct line or a removed one, but we were still able to prove your legitimacy. You are the legal and rightful heir to the Windom legacy."

There was a concerted gasp of awe from those in the Entertainment Hall, followed by a wave of chatter. Naomé was a Windom! The Windom family _wasn't_ extinct! There was still one member left! There was still hope for Kingdom Hearts if there was still a Windom!

Sora scrambled out from beneath the table. "Your Majesty, are you saying Naomé was supposed to be a Warrior of the Keyblade _and_ a Guardian all along?"

"As a Guardian of Kingdom Hearts, she was. It's said the stewardship of Kingdom Hearts lives in the blood of a Windom. Why Naomé was chosen to be able to use a Keyblade like you, Master Sora, I know not. But, whatever the reason, it's part of her destiny to protect Kingdom Hearts from the Darkness." King Richard gave Naomé another one of his approving smiles. "From what I saw of that fiery battle in the castle a few weeks ago, she is capable of doing just that. Only a Windom could've faced such a firestorm with the level of calm and courage she did. She showed no fear in the face of the flames…that takes a strong will."

Naomé blushed beneath her fur. She was not used to this level of praise. King Richard was calling her a hero, even though all she'd done was fend off a handful of guards as she made a heroic stand on the roof of the tallest watchtower in the Royal Castle with Robin Hood. She'd done nothing special…she'd just shown she wasn't going to let the bad guys beat her that easily.

Roxas gave Naomé a proud clap on the back. When she looked up at him in confusion, he gave her a winning smile and a broad wink. He was trying to reassure her that there was nothing wrong with being embarrassed…she was being lauded as a hero in front of an entire World full of grateful citizens.

King Richard beckoned to Friar Tuck, who came forward with a small lacquered hardwood box made of fire-hardened cherry that was stained in a deep burgundy lacquer. The King of Sherwood Forest took the box from the Friar's hands with a solemn nod, and then turned back to Naomé. "Naomé, my dear, what I have here in my possession is the treasure the last of your relations to ever guard Sherwood Forest protected with his very life. Since you are the last Windom, and are therefore the sole heir to all that is your family's, I am honored to present you with the first piece of your inheritance that my family took into our possession upon your relation's untimely death. May it serve you well."

Naomé gingerly took the box from King Richard's paws. She bobbed her head in respectful acknowledgment as she went to pry the box open, Sora and Roxas both peering over her shoulders out of curiosity, and KazeRyu leaning over the table. Carefully, Naomé undid the ancient gold clasp and gently flipped the lid of the box back. She felt her breath catch in her throat again as she caught sight of the beautiful treasure that was a part of her previously unknown inheritance.

Sitting in the middle of a pocket made of plush regal purple velvet sat a polished golden band. Set within the band was an impressive emerald that was carved to resemble a pair of beautiful oak leaves. The "veins" of the "leaves" were inlaid with the same carat of gold as the band itself, bringing them into a stunning relief. When Naomé removed the ring from its place and held it in her hand, the leaves seemed to shimmer with an almost supernatural radiance.

Roxas's eyes went wide in awe. "Whoa…that's _beautiful!_" He breathed.

"Is it a Ring of the Heart?" Sora asked Naomé.

"How should I know?" Naomé replied. "I've never seen it before until now."

King Richard responded to Sora's inquiry. "It is indeed the Ring of the Heart to Sherwood Forest. Naomé, your relation was the Guardian of this World. After his death, I became the Guardian in his place. Now, the Ring has returned to the hands of a Windom. I'm guessing, Master Sora, that your asking of the Ring's powers is because it serves a higher purpose for you?"

It was Naomé that replied. "Sora needs to find the Thirteen Rings of the Heart in order to Seal Kingdom Hearts from the Darkness for good. This will be the second Ring we have found."

"I see," King Richard said with an understanding nod. "I understand this Ring will grant you, Master Sora, access to my World's Heart, thus allowing you to stop the flow of the Darkness that has threatened us all here. Therefore, I ask of you to do me a favor and please Seal my World from the powers of the shadows."

Sora bowed. "May it so please Your Majesty." He looked over at Naomé, who was still holding the Ring in her paws. "Uh…Naomé, could I possibly…borrow the Ring from you for a minute?"

Naomé shrugged and sarcastically rolled her eyes. "I don't see why not. Just don't let anything happen to it! You lose that Ring on me, and not even your Keyblade will save you from me!"

"Yes, ma'am," Sora replied as he took the Ring from Naomé. He turned around and began to walk back towards the doors to the Courtyard. He felt the eyes of everyone in the Entertainment Hall trained upon him as he made his way through the guests.

"Sora! Wait up, buddy!"

Turning, Sora noticed Naomé, Roxas, KazeRyu, and King Richard catching up to him. His face twisted in confusion. "What are you guys doing?"

"What does it look like we are doing, Keybearer?" KazeRyu snorted. "We are following you out of here, you fool!"

Roxas cuffed KazeRyu on the ear. "Show some respect, Kaze!"

KazeRyu scowled but remained silent.

"You don't trust me?" Sora asked, glancing at Naomé.

Naomé shook her head. "No, I trust you. It's just that we want to watch you work your magic again." She gave Sora a wink. "I have to admit, you and that Keyblade of yours put on quite a show."

Sora smirked nervously. "Uh…thanks! I…uh, think…"

King Richard gave Sora a polite bow. "If you don't mind, Master Sora, I would like to witness this 'show' for myself. May I accompany you and your friends, as well?"

The Master of the Keyblade smiled. "But of course, Your Majesty. It would be an honor."

_Sherwood Forest - Nottingham Village - Royal Castle - Courtyard - Battlements_

Sora stood solemnly on the Battlements, the Ring of the Heart to Sherwood Forest in hand. Naomé and Roxas were on his immediate left and right, and KazeRyu and King Richard were a respectful distance back, the two of them standing on the top stair of the steps that lead up to where he was.

Naomé looked up at the bright blue skies. _This is exactly what Beast's Castle looked like when Sora Sealed its Heart! True, that was at early dawn, and this is mid-afternoon, but it's still the same weather._

Roxas nudged Sora. "Are you going to stare at that thing all day?"

"I'm just waiting for the right moment," Sora replied. "Sealing Worlds can't be rushed. I've learned from experience that a World will allow me to Seal it when it's good and ready to. I know, it sounds stupid, but it works better that way."

"Did King Mickey teach you that?" Roxas asked with a sly grin.

"How'd you guess?" Sora replied with a smile.

Roxas shrugged. "It just sounded like something he would say."

Suddenly, the emerald oak leaves of the Ring of the Heart flashed and began to sparkle with an aura of bright spring green. The Ring seemed to grow warm, as if the Sun was warming it.

Naomé was amazed. "Is that it?"

Sora looked at the Ring's actions. He nodded. "I'm guessing it is." But then, he scowled. "Now, if I could only remember how KazeRyu got the Heart to show up…"

"I think he did it like _this,_" Roxas replied, snatching the Ring from Sora's paw. He palmed the Ring, getting a feel for its weight and for the best way to pitch it, and then he whipped his arm back. With a quick jerk of his arm and a sharp snap of his wrist, he threw it out as far as he could towards the treetops beyond.

The Ring of the Heart gave a brilliant flash, disappearing in a misty green aura. A prismatic ray of light, which was in fact a sunbeam glinting off the last of the Ring's golden surface before it vanished from sight, crackled with divine light and fashioned itself into the Keyhole.

"_There_ you are!" Sora crowed. "I've been waiting for you!" Summoning his Keyblade, he gave it a deft twirl around his wrist to situate its grip in the palm of his textured gloves so as not to lose his control of the Keyblade when its eldritch power discharged. He took aim at the Keyhole and let the Keyblade do what it did (and was made to do) best.

The Keyblade shot forth its beam of brilliant blush-white light, sending it shooting straight into the middle of the Keyhole like Robin Hood would've fired an arrow into the bull's-eye of a target. The beam spread out and filled in the opening of the Keyhole, almost like a ripple in a pool, and then it gave a radiant, glaring flash and the customary thunderous _click!_, almost like that of a heavy dungeon door slamming shut.

Naomé watched as the Ring of the Heart of Sherwood Forest reappeared in the sky, and then came floating back down towards Sora, who reached out with his gloved paw and caught it. The Ring flashed one more time, just like the one for Beast's Castle had, and then it fell dormant once again.

"Well," Roxas said. "That was pretty awesome."

Sora nodded. "I know. I kind of liked the view of that one. I have to admit, the colors of that Heart being Sealed were kind of pretty, and I'm not one for green."

Naomé giggled.

Roxas shook his head. "You're bad, Sora."

"Thanks," Sora replied. He grinned as he held up the Ring. "This is number two!"

"Yeah, and eleven more to go," Groaned Roxas. "Ho boy…"

Sora grunted. "My sentiments _exactly!_" But then, he became thoughtful "You know what, guys?"

"No. What?" Naomé asked.

"I was doing some thinking the other day."

"Dangerous doings," Roxas said with a wink.

Naomé reached around behind Sora and swatted Roxas on the shoulder. "Idiot," She teased.

Roxas chuckled.

Sora shook his head. "You guys are too funny, you know that? Anyway, I was thinking about the other night, the one when the castle was on fire. Naomé, in spite of obviously still being sore from you throwing your back out-"

Naomé winced as she recalled the kink that was still loosening up in her backside. She tenderly rubbed at it to try and loosen it back up as she listened.

"-And Roxas, even though his showing up at the castle was risky because of the stuff he'd pulled when we'd first come here _and_ at the carnival-"

Roxas smiled at himself as he recalled robbing Prince John's carriage, as well as his victory at the joust, _and_ his holding the Prince hostage in his own royal box. He'd done some pretty crazy things in this World, hadn't he?

"-We were always able to depend on each other. Somehow, one would know the other two that were missing would show up when they needed help. Naomé, you weren't depending on Roxas and I to save you, and yet you knew we would come to your rescue. I didn't know you and Roxas were going to help me get into the castle. And Roxas knew I wouldn't let him face the dangers of the fire alone when he went back in there. So, somehow, the three of us just know we can depend on each other. Heck, we can even count on that pesky old Wind Dragon to give us a hand once in a while."

Behind Sora, KazeRyu turned aside to hide his rarely seen smile.

"What's your point, Sora?" Roxas asked.

Sora nervously scratched at the back of his neck. "Well…I was just going to ask you guys if…well…"

"Spit it out," Naomé said, nudging Sora in the ribs.

"Oh, all right. I just want to know if I can count on you guys to be with me whenever I Seal a World. Somehow, being able to share my accomplishments with my friends makes each step that I take towards each Keyhole all the more worthwhile. I could do this alone, but I don't think it would be the same.

"I learned a long time ago my friends are the greatest power I have. It's my friendships that give me the power to do what I do. So, if you guys don't mind, I would like you two to be by my side every time I Seal a World. It's, in my mind, the best way I can show you just how much your friendship means to me."

Naomé smiled and draped her arm around Sora's shoulders. "Sora, although your desire to share you achievements with us is a wonderful way to display just how much our shared friendship means to you, there is another way to show it."

Sora was confused. "There is? How?"

Roxas imitated Naomé's gesture. He caught Sora in an embrace from the other side, effectively pinning the Master of the Keyblade in a friendly bear hug. "Simple, Sora: be our friend, too. Show us that _we_ can count on _you._"

This made Sora smile. "Okay. I can do that."

"And don't forget, Sora," Naomé said, "You can always count on us."

"Yeah, Sora," Roxas agreed. "You can always count on us."

"I know, guys," Replied Sora. "And you two have already proven that."

Then, just like they had back on the banks of the Moat the night the castle went up in flames, Sora Kasasagi, Naomé Windom, and Roxas Avalon caught each other in a tightly knit group hug. The three friends stared out into the glorious afternoon, the slight breeze ruffling their fur as they watched the children head gaily out into the nearby field to chase summer butterflies through the tall swirling grasses.


End file.
